Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claimed in his first press conference since the start of Iran’s attacks on Israel that the events of the past few hours will further fuel the existing mistrust between Tehran and Washington.
Speaking at his press conference, Baghaei stated that the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States has consistently taken place in an atmosphere fraught with mistrust and that, according to him, the ceasefire has been “continuously and repeatedly” violated by the opposing side. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic will act whenever it deems necessary to defend “the country’s security.”
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also held the United States responsible for the recent developments in the region, stating that Israel takes no action without coordination with Washington. According to him, the US State Department has identified support for Israel as the main reason for the war against Iran, and the Islamic Republic is aware of the full cooperation and coordination of the US military’s Central Command, CENTCOM, with Israel in both defensive and offensive domains.
Referring to the April 8 ceasefire agreement, Baghaei held the United States responsible for any violations of it and stated that the consequences of escalating tensions in the region would fall on Washington.
He also criticized Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stating that if a resolution is passed against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors, Tehran will deliver an “appropriate response.”
These remarks come at a time when the Revolutionary Guards launched a new wave of missile attacks against Israel on Sunday evening and Monday morning. The strikes were initiated following an Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh, which targeted the main bases of Lebanese Hezbollah.
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