Tehran, March 15 (IANS). Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed that the US and Israel are attacking Arab countries in West Asia from some places. He said this in an interview with pan-Arab news outlet Al-Arabi Al-Zaheed.
Araghchi said Iran was ready to meet with regional countries and form a joint committee to investigate the nature of the targets of the attacks, according to Xinhua news agency.
He said Iran’s attacks only target US targets and interests, and are in retaliation for attacks that were launched from these sites.
Araghchi said the US has developed a drone similar to Iran’s Shahed 136 drone, codenamed “Lucas”, to strike targets in Arab countries.
He accused Israel of targeting Arab civilians and worsening its relations with Iran, and said, “So far Iran has not targeted any civilians or residential areas in the region.”
He said contacts are continuing with neighbors such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman, and regional countries are mediating to reduce tensions and offer ideas to end the war.
Commenting on the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said it is open to all except US and US-allied vessels.
He described the situation in Iran as stable, noting that there are no flaws in the state or military institutions, and that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in good health and completely under control.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said on Sunday that the recent drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh region and Eastern Province has no connection with Iran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Araghchi spoke by phone with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday night to discuss the regional situation.
The Iranian Foreign Minister said the US and Israel are the sole causes of insecurity in West Asia and the Gulf of Hormuz, and appealed to all countries to condemn the “criminal act of the attackers” of the attack on Iran and avoid escalating the conflict.
He said Israel’s ‘aggression and domination’ is the root cause of instability in Lebanon, and peace there depends on ending Israel’s ‘occupation, attacks and invasions’.
On February 28, Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders and civilians.
Iran responded by targeting Israeli and US targets and assets across the Middle East through waves of missile and drone attacks.
–IANS
AY/DKP