Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stressed that , saying that amid escalating attacks by the U.S. and the Israeli regime, the country’s focus is on defending its national integrity.
Tehran – IranView24
Baghaei, in his first press conference with domestic and foreign journalists in the year 1405, said: “We began the spring while Iran was under aggression by the Israeli regime and the United States. It has now been 31 days since the start of this war, and during this period the Iranian nation has shown that when its life and homeland are at stake, it will defend the country’s dignity and integrity with all its might.”
Human Rights the Biggest Victim of U.S.-Israeli War Against Iran
Stating that over the past month the most horrific crimes have been committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, he said: “The greatest victim of the aggressive war by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran has been humanitarian law and human rights. During this period, they have violated all human rights standards, and we have witnessed genocide, as well as attacks on Iran’s universities and cultural centers.”
Baghaei stressed that cultural centers in Iran—sites important to all Iranians and part of shared human heritage registered with UNESCO—have been targeted. He added: “They have attacked hospitals, Red Crescent buildings, and residential areas, all of which constitute war crimes. They have also targeted infrastructure on which our people depend for their daily lives.”
Praise for Power Ministry Engineers
He added: “On Sunday night, the enemies attacked power substations in Tehran and Karaj, causing outages in parts of these areas. We must commend the dedicated engineers and staff of the Ministry of Energy, who worked around the clock to keep Iran illuminated in the face of darkness and the malicious efforts of the enemy.”
Israeli Regime Targets Media Alongside War Crimes
Baghaei continued: “We are continuously documenting all these cases both for the historical record and for pursuit in international arenas, so that future generations will know that the enemies’ claims of helping the Iranian people were nothing but deception.”
Referring to repeated insults by the U.S. president toward the Iranian people, he said: “Alongside military aggression, we are also witnessing a media and cognitive war. They seek to prevent the truth from reaching the Iranian people and the global public, and within this framework they target journalists and media outlets.”
He added: “In this regard, yesterday we witnessed an attack by the Israeli regime on the office of Qatar’s Al-Araby network in Iran, which was severely damaged. The day before, we also witnessed a targeted Israeli attack on journalists from Al Mayadeen and Al Manar in Lebanon. This is a reality: alongside committing war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, the Israeli regime specifically regards the media as an enemy.”
Iran’s Operations Target Bases Used for Aggression
In response to a question about continued U.S. attacks on Iran from the territory of some neighboring and regional countries, as well as statements by UAE officials, Baghaei said: “The reality is that we are and will remain neighbors with all countries in the region and the Persian Gulf, and prudence requires that we recognize that others may leave, but neighbors will remain for one another.”
He emphasized: “We have never considered regional countries as enemies and do not do so. We have repeatedly stated that Iran’s operations target bases that are the source of aggression against Iran.”
This Foreign Ministry official stressed that Iran’s position is logical and based on legitimate self-defense and ethical principles.
Referring to statements by some regional countries that they are not part of the war, he said: “Such statements are not sufficient. While we have welcomed these positions, in practice we see that the United States continuously uses its military bases in regional countries against Iran, and developments show that the territory of neighboring countries is being used—willingly or unwillingly—by the U.S. against Iran.”
He added: “Iran’s actions are defensive and do not constitute attacks on neighboring countries. Therefore, Iran’s defensive measures should not be interpreted as hostile acts. We call on regional countries to adhere to the principles of good neighborliness and not allow their territory to be misused.”
War Could Trigger Future Instability
Baghaei said: “This war is not only an attack on Iran; it can become a source of future instability. Countries should not expect Iran to exercise unilateral restraint. It was the United States and Israel that initiated this war and used the territory of regional countries to attack Iran.”
UAE’s Prosperity Owes to Iranian Efforts and Wealth
Regarding the UAE, he said: “It is a reality how much the UAE’s prosperity owes to Iranian manpower, Iranian efforts, and Iranian wealth. This is a fact, and in light of it, it is expected that UAE officials treat our compatriots with foresight.”
He concluded: “As the Foreign Ministry, we are obliged to support the rights of our nationals in different countries, including those in the Persian Gulf.”
