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Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced U.S. strikes on the country Thursday, stating they targeted civilian infrastructure, including railway bridges, and calling the attacks a "gross war crime." The condemnation comes as air raid sirens sounded for a third time in Bahrain amid the rapidly escalating regional conflict.
In a statement, the ministry said it "condemns in the strongest terms the aggressive attacks by the U.S. terrorist army on several points in the southern coastal provinces and two bridges in the eastern provinces on the railway route to the holy city of Mashhad," branding the U.S. administration "evil and psychopathic." The ministry maintained that Iran's determination to defend its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national security remained firm.
According to the statement, the strikes, which Washington stated were carried out in response to renewed Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, violated Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, as well as clauses one and five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that had aimed to end the war.
The ministry criticized recent statements by U.S. officials, including U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing such remarks showed the United States was not adhering to the war-cessation agreement.
The ministry also referenced the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stating the Iranian people had shown their resolve to defend the country through their participation in the farewell ceremony, and asserted that Tehran would not allow "deal breaches, bullying and baseness" by the U.S. to affect Iran's national interests.
The ministry offered condolences for Iranians it said were killed in the strikes, including members of the armed forces defending the country's south, and vowed to defend national sovereignty while holding those responsible for the attacks accountable
Bahrain's Interior Ministry activated air raid sirens for the third time on Thursday amid possible Iranian aerial attacks, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place in a post on X.
An Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent in the capital, Manama, reported hearing explosions as the sirens sounded.
Earlier on Thursday, the Bahrain Defense Force said its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed several Iranian aerial threats. Iranian state media said earlier in the day that Tehran had targeted U.S. military infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar with drones.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had launched additional strikes against Iran to further degrade Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and the U.S. had reached a Pakistan-brokered deal on June 17 aimed at ending their military conflict and paving the way toward a lasting peace agreement.
On Wednesday, however, Trump declared the memorandum "over," effectively ending the agreement and triggering a new round of military confrontation.
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