'Everything was in ruins': Iran's FM Araghchi describes surviving Israel's opening strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gave a harrowing account of the early hours of the Israel-Iran war, describing how he narrowly avoided death during an Israeli airstrike targeting a high-ranking officials’ compound. According to an over 90-minute interview with Iranian journalist Javad Moghouei, Araghchi was present at the location where former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s chief of staff, Ali Hejazi, was holding a meeting. The attack struck around 9:30 a.m., catching the group off guard. Araghchi described the scene as one of utter devastation. “We entered through the same beams, beds, and other wooden debris,” he said. “From the room, we came into a hall where the sound of ‘Ya Hossein’ could be heard. Water was dripping from the ceiling, and everything was in a state of ruin.” The damage was extensive, with the structure left largely unrecognizable. Security personnel immediately evacuated him, pulling him from the wreckage and rushing him to safety in a civilian vehicle. A young officer, whose identity remains unknown, drove him to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The minister expressed deep concern over the accuracy of Israeli intelligence, which reportedly pinpointed the location of Iran’s top leaders. “This coincidence, this insight, and the fact that it happened at 9:30 in the morning, I no longer attribute this to technology or artificial factors,” Araghchi said. “I really don’t know what to make of it.” He hinted at ongoing investigations into potential human infiltration within Iran’s security services, suggesting that internal threats might have contributed to the breach. Araghchi also mentioned that despite the chaos, some contingency plans had been put in place. “There was even a code,” he revealed. “If a certain code is triggered, what should we do?... The code is Code 110.” This suggests that Iran had attempted to prepare for such scenarios, though the effectiveness of these measures remains unclear. Following the attacks, Iran’s leadership moved out of their regular offices, relocating to nearby areas. “Of course, we weren’t in our offices, but near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we had arranged alternative locations,” Araghchi said. However, he admitted that these new locations were not entirely secure. “I don’t know how secure they really were, but in the end, there was no safe place at all. Except for the tunnel, there was nowhere safe.” He further elaborated on the challenges of operating from underground facilities. “Tunnels matter, but do you know the condition for using them? If you go, you have to stay for a few days. You can’t just go in and come back,” he said. This highlights the logistical difficulties faced by Iran’s leadership in maintaining operational continuity amid the ongoing conflict. Araghchi also noted that discussions about succession or emergency leadership arrangements had been considered so sensitive that they were rarely addressed openly. “Sometimes it also affects the orientation of decision-making, and even worse, it influences and shapes our psychological environment,” he said. These remarks underscore the internal strain and uncertainty within Iran’s political circles. As the situation continues to evolve, both sides remain locked in a complex and volatile standoff. The revelations from Araghchi provide a rare glimpse into the immediate aftermath of the initial strikes, highlighting the vulnerabilities exposed by the attacks and the broader implications for Iran’s security infrastructure. The long-term consequences of these developments will likely shape the trajectory of the conflict in the coming weeks.