Tehran accuses US of dragging Gulf states into "war of whims"

Tehran does not view the Gulf states as hostile, but sees the United States as responsible for dragging the region into what it describes as a “war of whims,” a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

In an interview with South African television channel Newsroom Africa, Esmaeil Baqaei argued that Iran considers Gulf countries friendly and not adversaries. He said the US has involved regional nations by using their territory and airspace to carry out attacks on Iran.

Baqaei noted that during its own strikes on targets in the region, Iran is guided by a 1974 UN General Assembly resolution, which holds that any country assisting an aggressor can also be regarded as an aggressor. He claimed that Iran possesses evidence showing that the US has used military bases in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries in ways that contravene international law.

The spokesperson emphasised that Iran does not initiate attacks on other nations, framing its military actions as self-defense against what it considers aggression from the US and Israel. He added that Tehran remains committed to maintaining good-neighbourly relations with other countries in the region.

By Sabina Mammadli