Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said Iran is “the only force standing against evil” after the assassination of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, which he blamed on the United States and Israel, adding that “the leader sacrificed himself to save Iran.” Speaking in Tehran, he expressed his condolences for the death of Khamenei, senior commanders and civilians, stressing that the priority of all Iranians is the defense of the homeland.
Baqaei assessed that Iran is facing the aggression of “the most corrupt individuals” and that it is a conflict between good and evil. He accused other states of inaction over the past two years, arguing that such an approach had encouraged what he said were Israeli attacks in the region. He called the attacks on civilians and infrastructure crimes equal to genocide, and emphasized that Iran remains firm despite the great casualties.
Speaking on diplomacy, he rejected claims that the talks were being conducted seriously, saying that Western countries had made contradictory allegations about the Iranian threat. He said that Iran entered the negotiations in good faith to show that it is not a party that refuses dialogue, but that war has been imposed on it.
He also referred to the nuclear agreement from 2015, recalling the withdrawal of the United States of America from that agreement and later attempts to renew it. He stated that two rounds of negotiations were held in Geneva with the mediation of Oman, but that the subsequent demands of the American side – including the suspension of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs – were presented outside the scope of the talks.
Baqaei stressed that at the moment Iran’s focus is solely on defense, noting that the country was attacked between two rounds of negotiations. He added that Iran has the right to self-defense under the United Nations Charter and that its activities are not directed against neighboring countries, but against the source of the attack.
In the end, he said that the responsibility for stopping the war lies with Iran’s opponents and called on the international community to act before it is too late.
– We did not start this war. Our choice was diplomacy – he said, stressing that the security of the region is important and that Iran remains determined to oppose any aggression.
(Vijesti.ba)
