Iran has condemned what it called violations by the United States following US strikes on the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, while vowing to defend its sovereignty.
The foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, said Iran would take all necessary measures to defend its national sovereignty and condemned what he called the threatening rhetoric of American officials against Iran and several regional countries.
“Referring to the continuous ceasefire violations by the US, Baqaei insisted on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s determination to take all the necessary measures to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a foreign ministry statement said.
According to the statement, Baqaei expressed solidarity with Oman after President Donald Trump threatened to “blow them up”. The ministry spokesman condemned the remarks as a worrying sign of the normalisation of anarchy and intimidation in international relations.
US forces launched strikes that hit a ground control station in the southern port area of Bandar Abbas, a US official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The strikes prompted a swift response, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying they had targeted the US air base that served as the source of the attack without providing details on its location. Kuwait’s military later said its air defences were responding to an enemy attack.
The brief flare-up happened despite ongoing diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and Washington to draw up an agreement aimed at ending the war which began on February 28.
On Wednesday, President Trump threatened to finish the job if Tehran did not agree to a deal and threatened Oman, a US ally and mediator in the conflict. His remarks came after Iranian state television cited a draft of the framework being discussed, suggesting that Iran would keep control over the Strait of Hormuz in cooperation with Oman.
“It’s international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that, they’ll be fine,” said Trump.
