Former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has argued that Israel’s military response following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack failed to eliminate Palestinian national aspirations and instead reignited international discussion around a two-state solution.

In a video clip circulating online, Zarif said Israel sought to “obliterate Palestine” through its military campaign but was unsuccessful. According to Zarif, the outcome of the conflict has paradoxically revived diplomatic conversations that had largely stalled prior to October 7.

“Now people are talking about the two-state solution much more than they were talking before the 7th of October,” Zarif said.

Zarif, who served as Iran’s foreign minister from 2013 to 2021 and was a central architect of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, framed the post-war discourse as evidence that Palestinian statehood remains a central issue in regional and global politics despite Israel’s military dominance.

His remarks come amid renewed international diplomatic activity in 2025, including United Nations discussions and conferences focused on reviving the two-state framework. Several countries and multilateral bodies have publicly renewed calls for a negotiated settlement following the high civilian toll in Gaza and ongoing instability after the temporary ceasefire earlier this year.

However, prospects for implementation remain uncertain. Israel’s domestic political landscape has shifted following the conflict, with governing coalitions expressing strong opposition to Palestinian statehood, while Palestinian leadership remains divided between the West Bank and Gaza. Analysts note that while diplomatic rhetoric has increased, concrete negotiations have yet to resume.

Zarif’s comments reflect Iran’s long-standing opposition to Israeli policy and support for Palestinian causes, and Israeli officials have consistently rejected such characterizations, arguing that their military actions are directed at Hamas rather than the Palestinian population as a whole.