Iran denies involvement in attacks on US bases
Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations has categorically rejected the US’s “baseless” accusations of the involvement of Iran’s Armed Forces in attacks on US positions in Iraq and Syria.
In a letter to the UN Security Council’s president on Monday, Amir Saeid Iravani said, “There is no group affiliated with Iran’s Armed Forces, whether in Iraq, Syria, or elsewhere, that operates directly or indirectly under the control of the Islamic Republic of Iran or acts on its behalf.”
He added that Iran is not responsible for the actions of any individual or group in the region.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a letter to the Security Council on Friday, claimed that “militia groups affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces” were involved in “actions against US personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria”.
US military bases in Iraq and Syria have been the target of resistance groups over the past years. The strikes have increased in recent months, especially after the Israeli regime launched a devastating aggression against the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack on the occupied territories.
Resistance groups say the strikes are in response to US support for the Israeli aggression which has claimed the lives of more than 26,000 people in the Palestinian territory.
In the latest strike, three American troops were killed after a US base located on Jordan’s border with Syria was targeted by drones on Sunday.
More than 40 others were injured in the attack, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.
The attack marked a significant escalation after roughly 165 attacks on US and coalition forces since October 17, further raising concerns over a broader conflict breaking out in the Middle East.
“We do not seek another war. We do not seek to escalate. But we will absolutely do what is required to protect ourselves … and to respond appropriately to these attacks,” US National Security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday.
The Kremlin on Tuesday called for de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East after Washington vowed to respond to the attack in Jordan.
“In our view, the overall level of tension is very alarming and, on the contrary, now is the time for steps to de-escalate tensions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
China also reacted to the attack, warning against a “cycle of retaliation” in the Middle East.
Beijing said Tuesday it had “noted reports of casualties caused by the attack on a US military base”.
“We have also noted that Iran stated that it had nothing to do with the attack,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.
“We hope that all relevant parties will remain calm and restrained... in order to avoid falling into a vicious cycle of retaliation and prevent further escalation of regional tension,” he added.
“The situation in the Middle East is currently highly complex and sensitive,” Wang said.