Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged Europe to “open its eyes to reality,” accusing the European Union and the United States of worsening global conflicts through what he called misguided policies. Speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after talks in Tehran, Araghchi blamed Western support for Ukraine and Israel for prolonging the war in Ukraine and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. He also accused Washington and its allies of miscalculating by launching a war against Iran, claiming they had expected Tehran to surrender within days but had become trapped in a prolonged conflict. Lavrov, meanwhile, blamed Western efforts to cut reliance on Russian energy for destabilising global energy markets.