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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that Iran has “no animosity” toward regional countries and that any attacks on their territories are carried out in self-defense against what Tehran describes as U.S.-Israeli aggression.
Baghaei made the remarks in an interview with Iranian state television Press TV, as tensions continue in the Gulf after Iranian projectiles were fired toward the United Arab Emirates.
“We feel no animosity toward any country of the region,” Baghaei said.
“The only reason we have to target their territories was simply that we have to defend ourselves against an active aggression by the United States and Israel.”
Baghaei said the United States had used military bases, military assets, and logistical support from some regional countries to support attacks on Iran.
“The U.S. military presence in the region is a liability and brings nothing but insecurity,” Baghaei said, according to Press TV.
He said Washington’s military bases had repeatedly exposed host countries to unnecessary risks instead of providing real protection.
Baghaei also called on Persian Gulf states to stop “borrowing security” from powers outside the region. He said lasting security in the Persian Gulf could only be achieved through cooperation among regional countries and without outside interference.
He urged neighboring countries to pursue constructive dialogue and establish joint regional security mechanisms.
Baghaei said Iran is committed to strong, respectful and mutually beneficial ties with Persian Gulf Arab states based on sovereignty and shared interests.
He said any defensive measures taken by Iran are “strictly and precisely” directed at U.S. assets and bases that are used to launch aggression against Iran and are not aimed at regional countries themselves.
“Iranians never surrender to pressure,” Baghaei said, adding that Iran is ready to defend its territorial integrity and national interests against any external threat or aggression.
Baghaei also said measures taken by Iran’s armed forces regarding the Strait of Hormuz are “lawful and rational.”
The UAE Ministry of Defense said Monday that its air defenses “engaged” 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Iran.
The statement said the attack resulted in three moderate injuries. It was not immediately clear how many of the projectiles were destroyed by Emirati air defenses.
Earlier, authorities in Fujairah said a drone attack on an oil port caused a fire that injured three Indian nationals.
The UAE later said the strikes represented a “dangerous escalation” and an “unacceptable transgression.”
Sources told CNN that an Israeli Iron Dome air defense system was used to intercept Iranian projectiles in Emirati airspace.
Baghaei said Iran’s current priority is to focus on ending the war, rather than spending time on issues that have already proven too complicated for agreement.
“For the time being, we decided to focus on ending the war because it’s a matter of concern for all regions, for our nation and for the international community,” he said.
Baghaei said Iran is negotiating in an atmosphere of “extreme distrust and suspicion” toward the United States, citing what he described as U.S. aggressions against Iran in June last year and on Feb. 28 while negotiations were underway.
“We cannot forget about this bad experience,” he said, adding that Iran must remain “very alert” during diplomatic processes.
He said if the Americans are serious about diplomacy, they need to use the current opportunity, adding that “the whole world is waiting for them to show a minimum good faith.”
Baghaei also said the U.N. Security Council had been “taken hostage” by the U.S., saying it had failed to address issues including Gaza, Lebanon and what he described as U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran.
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