Iran condemns air strikes, warns neighbours against aiding US

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the “aggressive attacks and gross violation of the Memorandum of Understanding” by the United States following military strikes in southern Iran.

The ministry said that in the early hours of Wednesday, “the terrorist US military, in clear violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter, committed military aggression against several monitoring and surveillance centres on the southern coasts of Iran.” It noted that these strikes “constitute a flagrant violation of Paragraph 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Termination of War, which mandates the cessation of military operations”.

The statement also highlighted “the international legal obligation of all governments, particularly neighbouring countries located on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf, to prevent aggressor parties from utilising their territory and facilities to conduct aggressive acts against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” It added that “any cooperation in committing the crime of aggression against Iran constitutes complicity and participation in the crime”.

While reminding the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General of their responsibilities, the ministry emphasised that Iran’s armed forces “will not hesitate in defending Iran’s territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and national security against US military aggression in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and will target the source and origin of the aggression”, according to the statement.

-Al Jazeera