Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was a “very dangerous and unprecedented” move, stressing that Iran is bound by no limits in defending itself.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, Araghchi said Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination in a US-Israeli airstrike early on Saturday was a blatant violation of international law. He promised that Iran would take action to defend itself “without any limitations based on its legitimate rights”.
“We do not expect anything special from others and are capable of defending ourselves,” the top Iranian diplomat emphasized.
He added that Iran’s armed forces are currently taking retaliatory actions against enemy targets “independently” and based on previous instructions.
Following the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, he added, a transitional council was established and the country’s affairs are being administered in accordance with the Constitution.
He noted that state institutions are all operational and a new leader is likely to be elected within the next few days. The Iranian foreign minister reiterated “good” relations with the Persian Gulf littoral states and emphasized that Tehran has no intention to target its neighbors.
We do not attack the Persian Gulf countries but will target the US military presence in these states,” Araghchi explained.
He said Iran’s attacks on the US military bases in the region have prompted the United States to start evacuating some bases.
The top Iranian diplomat noted that he is in contact with his counterparts from regional countries and has given all the necessary explanations to them.
He acknowledged that Persian Gulf countries are angry with Iran’s attacks on the US military bases there, but added that the war was not a decision made by Iran but rather it “has been imposed” on the Islamic Republic.
“This war was launched by the US and Israel and pressure must be exerted on them,” Araghchi said, calling on the neighboring states to express their dissatisfaction to Washington and Tel Aviv.
He said the Iranian armed forces have been instructed to choose their targets carefully and refrain from carrying out any attack without thorough examination beforehand.
Iran cannot just witness attacks against it and expect the neighboring countries to keep silent, he added.
Regarding the goal of the US and Israel to change the governing system in Iran, Araghchi said, “The regime change in Iran is an impossible mission and even the absence or martyrdom of the country’s leader will not make this issue possible.”
The minister said Iran has always insisted on diplomacy, adding that it was Washington that attacked the Islamic Republic twice during the negotiations.
The United States must explain the rationale for attacking Iran, Araghchi said, noting that any effort to stop the war hinges on the cessation of the aggression.
He clarified that Iran currently has no plan to close the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt the maritime transits there but is rather focused on a defensive response and crisis management.
