The spokesman made the remarks during his weekly press conference in Tehran on Sunday.
Baqaei said the United States had stripped diplomacy and negotiations of their meaning by using them as cover for surprise attacks on two occasions in less than nine months.
He said diplomacy should prevent tensions and promote peace, but Washington’s acts of aggression had undermined trust. Baqaei added that countries, particularly Iran, given its difficult experience with the United States, should approach American diplomatic claims with caution.
Iran will not relinquish its right to peaceful nuclear energy
Asked about the U.S. proposal for Iran to abandon its nuclear program, Baqaei said Washington's declared policy from the outset had been demanding Iran give up its right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The United States had stated the position explicitly, he said, adding that Iran would not surrender its fundamental right guaranteed under the NPT.
Iran To Pursue Accountability for Regional Support of U.S.-Israeli Aggression
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has reiterated that Tehran will pursue accountability and compensation over the involvement of regional countries in the recent U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran, stressing that the country’s defensive operations targeted U.S. military assets used in attacks against Iran, not the sovereignty of neighboring states.
Baqaei said evidence of regional countries’ support for the attacks, including the use of their territory, airspace and waters, had been documented and communicated to the countries concerned through diplomatic channels.
Citing international law and UN General Assembly Resolution 3314, he said states that assist an act of aggression could bear responsibility for its consequences. Iran, he added, is entitled to seek compensation for the damage caused.
The spokesman stressed that Iran’s defensive operations were conducted in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and targeted only U.S. military bases and assets used in attacks against the country. He said Tehran had not acted against the sovereignty of neighboring states.
Palestine remains a humanitarian concern
Turning to the situation in Palestine, Baqaei said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the deaths of Palestinians, particularly women and children, amid flooding, heavy rain and cold weather, should concern the entire international community.
He said speaking out about Palestinian suffering was a call for humanity, emphasizing that Palestine was not merely an Arab, regional or Islamic issue, but a concern for all people. He also described conditions in the occupied West Bank as deeply troubling.
One-sided IAEA reporting undermines the agency's credibility
The spokesman criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report on Iran’s nuclear program, accusing the agency of one-sided reporting under pressure from the United States and some European countries.
He said the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities had disrupted the agency’s activities in the country. While Iran had not suspended its safeguards obligations, much of its cooperation with the IAEA had been halted due to the circumstances created by the attacks.
Baghaei said Tehran saw little prospect of improved cooperation unless the agency clearly acknowledged its responsibility regarding the situation and addressed the consequences of the attacks.
He also criticized speculation by the IAEA about possible new enrichment facilities in Isfahan, saying unverified claims would not help resolve outstanding issues or ease regional tensions.
Regional countries' responsibility for consequences of aggression against Iran is clear
Elsewhere in his remarks, the senior Iranian diplomat said all evidence indicating the role of regional countries in assisting the United States in its attacks on Iran had been documented and communicated directly to those countries through diplomatic channels.
Tehran would pursue the matter seriously, he said, adding that the countries concerned bore clear responsibility for the consequences of the U.S. and Israeli military aggression against Iran.
He said the evidence was clear even without public admissions by U.S. officials. Missiles, drones and aircraft launched from military bases located in those countries, logistical and other support provided to the aggressors, and the military bases destroyed in those countries all demonstrate their involvement in the aggression, he added.
Baqaei reiterated that Iran had taken no action against the sovereignty of those countries.
Iran's defensive measures, he said, had been carried out under Article 51 of the UN Charter and had targeted only U.S. military bases and assets used to launch attacks against Iran.
M.Pakravan - Maryam Abolbagha
