Iran: No country should fear us unless it aids aggressors

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks during his weekly press conference on Monday. He was responding to questions about reports in Western media outlets that US bases on European territory could be targeted if European states resumed their participation in acts of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

“We also heard that a number of KC-135 tanker aircraft have left Bulgaria,” the official stated, reacting to a report that the aircraft had left the European country amid local protests and strong warnings by the Islamic Republic against third countries abetting aggression against the Iranian nation.

Iran has already stated its position regarding Bulgaria, Baghaei added, noting that from the outset, Bulgarian people and politicians had also described provision of the European country’s facilities for American use against Iran as contrary to international law.

“We have no problem with the people of Bulgaria,” the spokesman said. However, participation in atrocities targeting the Islamic Republic “constitutes an act of aggression,” he stated.

“We hope that other countries that have, in one way or another, made their bases and facilities available to the United States and the Zionist regime to commit an act of aggression against a United Nations member state will also take the necessary action,” Baghaei said.

‘No leniency for abettors’

“There is no reason for any country to have concerns about Iran, unless it has made its bases, facilities, and equipment available to the aggressors for the purpose of carrying out [such] an unlawful and illegal act,” he said, asserting the Islamic Republic’s right to retaliate against the origin of an attack on its soil.

“As we have demonstrated, we will certainly show no leniency when it comes to defending the integrity and security of Iran.”

‘Iran will not accept end to war on aggressor’s terms’

Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei pointed to the latest bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression targeting Iran, saying the Islamic Republic did not initiate the war and would show no leniency towards the aggressors.

“We certainly did not start the war, but we will not allow the war to end on the aggressor’s terms,” he said, underlining that Tehran would defend its territory, sovereignty, and national rights.

The spokesman cited President Masoud Pezeshkian as repeatedly making clear that Iranians would not surrender to force or domination, and stressed that the Islamic Republic would not accept the aggressor’s excessive demands.

‘Hormuz traffic claims part of psychological warfare’

Addressing conflicting claims about oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei rejected reports of sharply increased traffic.

“This is part of the psychological and media warfare being waged by the opposing parties,” he said.

‘Cooperation with US aggression against Iran will have consequences’

According to the spokesperson, Iran was continually adjusting its policies to ongoing developments and national-security requirements.

The official reiterated his warning that “any collusion with the United States in advancing its aggressive actions against Iran will certainly have consequences,” adding that Iran was capable of confronting such instances of abetment.

Among other things, he warned third countries against cooperating towards implementation of the United States’ illegal naval blockade of Iran. International law does not permit other countries to assist or cooperate with Washington in such actions, the official stated.

‘US economic pressure has failed to force Iran to surrender’

Baghaei said US measures variously described as “crippling sanctions,” “maximum pressure,” and “economic warfare” pursued the same objective of trying to force Iran to surrender its rights.

Doubting Iran’s commitment ‘biggest lie possible’

He, however, said these efforts had failed and attributed current menacing US rhetoric to “desperation” and Washington’s miscalculation concerning the effects of military aggression.

Baghaei rejected US claims that Iran was unreliable in negotiations, calling that allegation “the biggest lie possible.”

He said, based on repeated experience, it was rather the United States that was the party whose commitments and agreements could not be relied upon.

Israeli strikes against Syria complete violation of national sovereignty

Turning to Israeli airstrikes against Syria, the official said the attacks were “a complete violation of Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He said the so-called justifications offered for the strikes were excuses for continued lawlessness, saying Tel Aviv’s transgressions against the Arab country followed the same course that the regime has pursued in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, and other countries.

“They are nothing other than the pursuit of illegal ambitions under the concept of [so-called] ‘Greater Israel,’” he said in reference to the regime’s expansionist goals.