During his interview with Al Jazeera, FM Abbas Araghchi pointed to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, noting that despite the huge national loss, “the system continued”.

“We have not had anyone more important than the leader himself, and even the leader was martyred, yet the system continued to work and immediately provided a replacement,” the foreign minister said.

“If anyone else is martyred, it will be the same,” he added.

“If the foreign minister were ever to be martyred, there would ultimately be someone else to take the position.”

Asked if Araghchi was afraid that he would be targeted, the top diplomat replied, “Anyone could become a target.”