Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, met with a group of scholars and intellectuals from Khorasan Razavi Province on the sidelines of the Second Regional Diplomacy Conference held in the holy city of Mashhad.   In this cordial meeting, Araghchi emphasized the crucial role of Iranian intellectuals in addressing national challenges and advancing development. He states that “Iran must rely on its national capabilities for its development and security; experience has shown that in critical junctures, self-reliance has been the only guarantor of the country’s security.”   Highlighting the importance of forming national think tanks, Araghchi described the establishment of such groups as a vital and valuable step, noting that “the country’s intellectuals have now reached the maturity to seek solutions from within.”   Underscoring the necessity of relying on national strength to safeguard security, he reiterated that Iran must stand on its own feet to preserve its stability and independence. Araghchi referred to the recent twelve-day defensive operation, and stated that “the effectiveness of Iran’s missile capabilities in national defense demonstrated that the country’s security rests upon self-reliance.” He further explained that although the adversaries sought to keep Iran in a state of anxiety and uncertainty through the threat of war, their efforts failed in the face of the nation’s resilience, preparedness, and enduring spirit of resistance.   Araghchi also referred to the diplomatic efforts aimed at countering the political campaign led by the United States and the three European countries against Iran at the UN Security Council. He noted that “during the Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Uganda, 121 countries supported Iran’s position regarding the so-called snapback mechanism—an event some foreign media described as a global divide between a majority supporting Iran and a minority backing the United States.”   The Minister of Foreign Affairs defined the core mission of the Foreign Ministry along two main axes: lifting sanctions and neutralizing their impact. He emphasized that while lifting sanctions is the responsibility of the Foreign Ministry, “neutralizing them is the collective duty of all national institutions.” He added that the greater mission is to render sanctions ineffective so as to discourage the enemy from resorting to this unlawful and inhumane tool.   Elaborating on the Provincial Diplomacy Initiative, Araghchi explained that this initiative was designed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the objective of identifying and activating provincial capacities in economic, trade, and tourism sectors, and of fostering economic relations with neighboring countries.   The Foreign Minister further underscored the importance of cultural and sports diplomacy. He stressed that Iran’s soft power is deeply rooted in its rich and ancient civilization—extending far beyond the borders of modern Iran—and should be utilized to enhance connections and deepen mutual understanding with neighboring nations.   Referring to the important role of athletes in promoting Iran’s image abroad, Araghchi noted that “athletes, by raising the national flag, project a dignified and inspiring image of Iran to the world, and women’s sports play a particularly vital role in this regard.”   He also underlined the necessity of engaging in data-driven diplomacy, calling on experts to contribute to the development of indigenous artificial intelligence and the safeguarding of national data security.   Concluding his remarks, Araghchi highlighted the country’s economic potential, stating that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively pursuing the expansion of exports of technical and engineering services, and Iranian embassies have been instructed to give this matter special attention.” He added that the Ministry’s Economic Diplomacy Department is tasked with facilitating trade and commerce. At the beginning of the meeting, several scholars and intellectuals from Khorasan Razavi presented their ideas and concerns, calling for the continued active and constructive role of diplomacy in removing obstacles and fostering progress in scientific, economic, commercial, and cultural fields.   Gholamhossein Mozaffari, Governor of Khorasan Razavi, also expressed his gratitude for the Foreign Minister’s participation in the meeting and praised the Provincial Diplomacy Initiative as an effective instrument for strengthening the province’s foreign relations with neighboring countries.