Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, speaking about the attacks carried out against Gulf countries, said, "We are not at war with Muslim countries. Our struggle is against the aggressors who use the territory of Muslim countries to support their attacks."
At a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei made statements on current developments. Saying that Iran is going through critical days, Baghaei stated, "We are experiencing very turbulent but at the same time honorable days for Iran. One of the most important developments today is the announcement of the third religious leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Referring to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure, Baghaei said, "Our armed forces are committed to humanitarian and ethical principles and have never committed war crimes. By contrast, the other side targeted civilians and children in the first attacks and struck our infrastructure. This is a crime not only against the environment but also against humanity. We have previously said that if red lines are crossed, an appropriate response will be given. Regarding attacks on U.S. bases, I stress once again that we are not at war with Muslim countries. Our struggle is against the aggressors who use the territory of Muslim countries to support their attacks. These bases are being targeted within the framework of legitimate self-defense."
Reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump's statements regarding Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Esmail Baghaei said, "The U.S. President's latest arrogant remarks about Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity are an explicit confession of war crimes committed against the Iranian people. In the midst of a war imposed on our country in violation of the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law, the U.S. President said in a social media post that certain areas and population groups that had not previously been targeted were being considered for total destruction and certain death."
Baghaei added, "This criminal statement is a clear indication of the United States' helplessness in the face of its own failures. These words are being spoken at a time when the world is witnessing U.S. and Israeli military attacks on schools, hospitals, homes, infrastructure, sports halls, and aid centers in Iran. In these attacks, hundreds of innocent civilians, including women and children, have so far lost their lives."
Stating that Iran continues to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter against the attacks, the Iranian spokesperson said, "As a result of the attacks, more than 1,300 civilians have lost their lives, and 9,669 civilian targets have been damaged. These include thousands of homes, commercial centers, health and educational institutions, as well as Red Crescent buildings. Therefore, the U.S. President's remarks amount to an explicit confession of responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Iran since February 28."
Esmail Baghaei continued, "The United States has clearly violated the prohibition on the threat of the use of force contained in Article 2/4 of the UN Charter. In addition, the U.S. President's threat to annihilate groups of people is not only a violation of the right to life but also paves the way for attacks against civilians. Iran will continue to exercise its right to legitimate self-defense until the Security Council fulfills its responsibilities. These statements give rise to the international responsibility of the United States and the international criminal responsibility of the U.S. President."
Baghaei also said that Iran had asked the UN and the UN Security Council to take the necessary steps to preserve international peace and security, "thus making it possible to put an end to the ongoing war crimes and ensure that the United States and its president are held accountable."
Touching on Trump's remarks about changing the map of Iran, Esmail Baghaei said, "The will of the Iranian people matters. The U.S. President and others have made similar remarks about other parts of the world as well. It is as if the whole world is seen as valuable real estate and states as property companies. However, countries are shaped on the basis of the will of peoples and their right to self-determination. The Iranian nation knows how to defend its homeland. But if some countries think they can remain merely spectators, they are mistaken. Remaining indifferent in the face of injustice makes the indifferent complicit in the crimes of the oppressors."
Stating that the U.S. military presence in the region does not provide security, Baghaei said, "On the contrary, it causes insecurity and division among the countries of the region. History will remember that during Ramadan an attack was carried out against a Muslim country through the territory of regional countries. The United States places no value on the countries of the region; its sole aim is to protect Israel. Therefore, the countries of the region must not allow their territory to be used for attacks against Iran."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Iran did not start the war and said, "This war was imposed on us while we were in the middle of negotiations. In such circumstances, there is no option other than defending ourselves and demonstrating our determination to resist the hegemonic ambitions of the United States and the Zionist regime. At present, all of our strength, attention, and capacity are directed toward defending Iran's existence. While military attacks continue, there is no point in talking about anything other than defense and a strong response to the enemy."
Commenting on President Masoud Pezeshkian's phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Baghaei said, "Most of the talks held these days are focused on the war. Some countries are worried about this situation, but their concern is different from ours. As a country directly under attack, we are concerned for the lives of our citizens and are defending ourselves. Some countries, on the other hand, are more concerned about the rise in fuel prices or the cost of goods in supermarkets. Of course, we do not criticize them for worrying about fuel prices, but all of these countries, including France, are members of the UN Security Council."
The Iranian spokesperson added that European countries have failed in recent years to fulfill their responsibilities regarding the preservation of international peace and security, saying, "This has led the United States and Israel to act more boldly regarding actions that violate international law."
Baghaei rejected reports claiming that Iran had launched attacks on Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Southern Cyprus, saying, "We insist on maintaining good relations with all neighboring countries. For us, the continuation of friendly relations and respect for the national sovereignty of countries is a fundamental principle. However, if attacks are carried out against Iranians from the territory of any country, we have the natural right under international law to respond. Our defense should not be regarded as hostility. No missiles were fired from Iran at Azerbaijan, Turkey, or Southern Cyprus."
Baghaei added, "Our armed forces have also announced that such attacks were not carried out by Iran. In Southern Cyprus too, British officials reported that no such incident took place. No matter where an attack against Iran originates, the response given will be legitimate and lawful."
Referring to the U.S. attack on the Iranian Navy frigate IRIS Dena, Esmail Baghaei said, "This is an extremely clear war crime. The rules of war regarding military operations at sea are very clear. In the case of the frigate Dena, the United States' actions have surpassed even Nazi Germany. When Nazi Germany sank British ships several times, it itself went to provide assistance. But the U.S. not only attacked, it did not go to help and did not allow others to help either. This is a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions and Article 10 of the additional protocols to these conventions, and we will certainly pursue the matter."
Speaking about reports in the Israeli media claiming that Iran's capacity to retaliate had diminished, Baghaei said, "The blows they have received are the result of their own miscalculations. Let them continue to live in their fantasy world. They say many things about Iran's capacities having declined. But our forces on the ground are showing what kind of capability they possess."
