FM says all sites involved in Israel-US attack ‘legitimate targets’
Tehran denounced Saturday’s coordinated US-Israeli aerial assault on Iranian territory as a “blatant crime,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared all launch sites “legitimate targets” for retaliatory strikes, and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced the commencement of a “decisive response,” while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned what he called “terrorist attacks” in statements carried by state media.
Araghchi, appearing on Iranian television, warned that armed forces would target “the sites from which the US and Zionist operations were carried out” alongside any locations supporting actions against Iran’s defenses.
He framed the aggression as a gross violation of the UN Charter, urging regional governments to uphold their “historical duty” against what he termed a “sinister plot” by the Israeli regime.
In separate calls with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, the foreign minister pressed neighboring states to deny US and Israeli forces use of their territories for further operations, reiterating Iran’s commitment to “good-neighborliness” while underscoring the Islamic Republic’s inherent right to self-defense under international law.
The Foreign Ministry said Washington and Tel Aviv had launched “terrorist attacks” on defense infrastructure and civilian sites across multiple Iranian cities.
The ministry noted the strikes erupted amid ongoing diplomatic engagement, asserting Iran had entered negotiations “to prove the rightfulness of the Iranian nation” despite anticipating military escalation.
“Now it is time to defend the homeland,” the statement declared, vowing the armed forces stand “more prepared than ever” to confront aggressors.
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