Iran Claims Evidence of US and Israel Attacks on Arab Nations, Says Foreign Minister
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Tehran, March 15 (NationPress) Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated on Sunday that Tehran possesses evidence indicating that the US and Israel are orchestrating attacks from specific sites against Arab nations within the West Asia region.
In an interview with the pan-Arab news platform Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, he questioned the source of the assaults on regional Arab nations that are often attributed to Iran.
Araghchi emphasized Iran's willingness to engage with neighboring states to form a collaborative committee aimed at investigating the characteristics of the attacked sites, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
He reiterated that Iran's military actions have solely targeted US military facilities and interests in response to attacks originating from those locations.
Additionally, Araghchi revealed that the US has developed a drone akin to Iran's Shahed 136, named 'LUCAS', designed to strike targets in Arab countries.
He accused Israel of launching attacks on Arab civilians to undermine their relationships with Iran, asserting, 'Iran has refrained from targeting any civilian or residential areas in the region thus far.'
Continued discussions are taking place with neighboring countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, with regional nations mediating to alleviate tensions and propose solutions to end the ongoing conflict.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi indicated it remains accessible to all except for US and allied vessels.
He described Iran's current situation as 'stable,' highlighting the absence of defections within state or military institutions, and confirmed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in good health and maintains full authority.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps announced on Sunday that a recent drone strike on the Riyadh region and the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia was not connected to Iran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
On the same day, the Iranian Foreign Ministry revealed that Araghchi had a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot to discuss the regional landscape.
Araghchi asserted that the US and Israel are the primary instigators of insecurity in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, urging all nations to denounce the 'criminal acts of the aggressors' against Iran and to refrain from escalating the conflict.
He further stated that Israel's 'aggression and dominance' are fundamental causes of instability in Lebanon, asserting that peace in the region hinges on ending Israel's 'occupation and military actions.'
Notably, on February 28, Israel and the US executed coordinated assaults on Tehran and other Iranian cities, resulting in the deaths of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military officers, and civilians.
In retaliation, Iran launched extensive missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and US military bases and assets throughout the Middle East.