Iran31 August, 20263 min read
Abbas Araghchi Calls Netanyahu a Serpent, Says He Suckered Washington Into War With Iran
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Araghchi called Netanyahu a 'serpent' who bragged about tricking Washington into war with Iran. Netanyahu publicly boasted in Hebrew about influencing the U.S. to wage war on Iran.
Araghchi attacks Netanyahu
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of tricking Washington into going to war with Iran, calling him a “serpent” in a post on X.
“‘In Hebrew, Netanyahu openly crows that he suckered the US Administration into a war on Iran on behalf of Israel.”
Araghchi said, “In Hebrew, Netanyahu openly crows that he suckered the U.S. Administration into a war on Iran on behalf of Israel,” and added that Netanyahu “explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ America through 1,000 hours of airtime on U.S. networks.”
The dispute is set against a wider conflict described as having begun on February 28, when US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials.
The accounts also describe an April ceasefire that ended the most intense fighting, while sporadic attacks mainly near the Strait of Hormuz have dimmed prospects for a final peace agreement.
The latest escalation cited in the coverage includes the US striking Iran’s island of Larak late Sunday, with Iran responding by saying it launched attacks on bases in Jordan and the UAE used by the US military.
Netanyahu’s airtime claim
The Iranian foreign minister’s argument hinges on Netanyahu’s contrasting claims in Hebrew and English, with PressTV saying Araghchi highlighted “discrepancies between Netanyahu’s Hebrew and English claims about the war on Iran.”
PressTV also quoted Araghchi saying Netanyahu “explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ the United States into a war on Iran,” and the same reporting includes Araghchi’s line, “In English, he praises POTUS’ leadership. Serpent,”.
Roya News framed the immediate military context around the US military striking Iran’s Larak Island after US Central Command said it had cleared sea mines from international shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Roya News added that President Donald Trump warned that any new mines would be “immediately and systematically destroyed,” while the IRGC vowed retaliation and called the strike a “strategic and deadly mistake.”
Regional retaliation and diplomacy
Roya News reported that the attack on Larak Island was the first US strike on Iran since July 29, and it said Tehran and Oman continue talks on restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The White House said there are currently no negotiations between Washington and Tehran.”
Roya News also said the White House stated there are currently no negotiations between Washington and Tehran, while Iranian state media reported that the US attack killed two people and wounded several others.
In parallel, Türkiye Today described the US strike as coming after forces were seen preparing to deploy rockets carrying mines into the Strait of Hormuz, and it said the remarks came after the US struck Iran’s Larak Island late Sunday, its first such attack in a month.
Türkiye Today further reported that in response Iran said it launched attacks on bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates used by the US military, and it described the war as beginning Feb. 28 when US-Israeli strikes killed Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials.
The diplomatic and security backdrop in the reporting also includes the United Arab Emirates condemning an Iranian drone intercepted over its territorial waters and reserving the “full and legitimate right to respond,” while Iran’s foreign minister again accused Netanyahu of openly claiming credit for drawing the United States into war with Iran.