Tehran: Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi hosted ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions at a ceremony in Tehran on Saturday night to mark the Persian New Year (Nowruz). The event was also attended by some Iranian ministers and military officials. According to Islamic Republic News Agency, during the ceremony, Croatian Ambassador Drago Stambuk congratulated the audience on the arrival of spring and Nowruz, encouraging them to embrace the essence of Nowruz, which emphasizes solidarity among humans, peace, and peaceful coexistence. Following this, Foreign Minister Araqchi extended his congratulations to the attendees on the occasion of Nowruz and Eid al-Fitr, which marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan. He described the past Iranian year as a time of significant incidents and challenges for Iran and the West Asia region. The minister reaffirmed the Islamic Republic's commitment to pursuing its principled and responsible policies in the New Year, which began on March 21, 2025. Araqchi also discus sed Iran's stance toward international developments, saying that the country's response to U.S. President Donald Trump's letter was consistent with its content and tone, while still allowing room for diplomacy. In his remarks, he highlighted the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. He said that Tehran has undertaken voluntary efforts to demonstrate the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities, adding that it was the United States that unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. Araqchi highlighted Iran's foreign policy towards neighboring countries and other nations around the world, expressing hope that mutual ties in political, economic, and cultural areas would expand in the year ahead.