The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has strongly condemned the coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel, calling them a “criminal military aggression” and warning that Tehran’s armed forces are fully prepared to respond decisively.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said the strikes occurred “this morning, on the eve of Nowruz and on the tenth day of the holy month of Ramadan,” targeting both defense infrastructure and civilian sites across multiple Iranian cities. The ministry described the attacks as a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, occurring even as Tehran and Washington were reportedly engaged in diplomatic discussions.
Addressing the nation as “heroic and noble people of Iran,” the ministry asserted that the country had exhausted all diplomatic avenues to prevent conflict. “Despite entering negotiations to demonstrate the legitimacy of the Iranian nation, we are now fully prepared to defend our homeland and confront the enemy’s aggression,” the statement read.
Tehran cited international law, accusing Washington and Tel Aviv of violating Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against a state’s territorial integrity or political independence. It invoked Article 51 of the Charter to affirm Iran’s “legal and legitimate right” to self-defense, stating that its armed forces will use all available resources to repel the aggression.
The ministry called on the United Nations, the Security Council, and member states to take immediate action. “All UN member states, especially regional and Islamic countries, and members of the Non-Aligned Movement, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent, collective action,” the statement said.
Iran warned that the strikes have exposed regional and global security to unprecedented risk but vowed a resolute response. “Inspired by our national heritage and faith in divine victory, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will defend the homeland with all their might. History shows that Iranians never surrender to foreign aggression, and this time will be no exception,” the statement concluded.
