Baghaei: Iran’s Retaliatory Operations Will Continue
UPDATING…
WANA (Jun 16) – In his press conference the spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei strongly condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, stating that the Israeli regime targeted civilians using U.S.-supplied weaponry. He also stated retaliatory operations of Iran will continue.
“This is the fourth national day of our resistance in the face of clear aggression,” Baghaei said on Monday. “In the early hours of Friday, the Zionist regime launched attacks against Iranian civilians using weapons, many of which were gifted by the United States.”
He extended condolences to the families of victims, the Iranian nation, and freedom-seeking people around the world, emphasizing that Iran’s response is a legitimate act of self-defense under international law.
“Our retaliatory operations have been and will continue to be lawful, forceful, and defensive in nature,” he added.
The Second Round of Iranian Missile Strikes on Occupied Territories in Day Three of the Iran-Israel War, June 15, 2025. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Baghaei warned that those who defend or justify Israel’s assault are accomplices to its crimes, stating that their names will be remembered by the people of Iran and the region as collaborators in these atrocities.
Attack on Nuclear Sites Violates International Norms
He further revealed that Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, actions which he described as a blatant violation of all international norms and conventions. Baghaei called on the UN Security Council and international organizations to fulfill their responsibilities and stop issuing ambiguous statements.
During the press conference, Baghaei presented photos of Iranian children and civilians killed in the recent Israeli strikes and criticized Israeli claims that “civilians are not targeted.” “These victims are the shattered hopes of a future stolen by lies and missiles,” he said.
International Community Must Hold Israel Accountable
Baghaei stressed that the international community must hold the Israeli regime accountable for its crimes, adding, “This is a test for all nations—how they choose to deal with a rogue regime.”
On diplomacy, he stated that Israel’s attacks have rendered the diplomatic process meaningless, particularly amid indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. that were ongoing before the strikes.
“We are certain that American policymakers were complicit in these violations,” he said.
He called on all regional countries and member states of international organizations to use their influence to pass a binding resolution condemning Israel’s aggression, with the first step being an unequivocal declaration that what occurred was an act of war.
Images of the civilian martyrs of the recent Zionist regime attack on Iran / WANA News Agency
Civilians Have Fallen Victim to the Crimes of the Zionist Regime
The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while displaying images of several Iranian children and civilians killed in recent attacks by the Zionist regime, spoke of their hopes and dreams for the future. He stated: “These individuals have now become victims of the crimes of the Zionist regime—victims of a regime that falsely claims it does not target ordinary people.”
Zionist Aggression Has Rendered Diplomacy Meaningless
Baghaei, emphasizing that it is hard to believe Israel’s crimes against Iran could have occurred without U.S. coordination, responded to a question on negotiations by saying: “These attacks and acts of aggression have stripped diplomacy of its meaning.”
He added: “We have no doubt that American policymakers are complicit in this violation.”
Regional Countries Must Use All Their Power to Pass a Binding Resolution Against Israel
The senior Iranian diplomat asserted: “We call on all regional countries—especially those active in international institutions—to use their full capacity to pass a binding resolution against the Zionist regime. The first step is to officially declare that what has occurred is an act of aggression.”
Israel’s missile struck the southern side of Narmak, causing injuries and fatalities among civilian residents / WANA News Agency
OIC Summit on Israeli Aggression Against Iran to Be Held Soon
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also announced that an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will soon be convened, focused on the recent Israeli attacks against Iran.
No One Understands the Consequences of War Expansion Like the Region’s Countries
Baghaei stated: “All countries in the region have condemned the crimes committed by the Zionist regime against Iran—because no one understands the dangers of living alongside an apartheid, aggressive, and occupying regime better than these nations. They are fully aware of the consequences of escalating war and conflict in the region.”
“Preemptive Strike” Is Nothing but a Pathetic Political Excuse
In response to a question about Israel’s claim that its strike on Iran was a preemptive measure, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “This is the most ridiculous justification—not only this time but for decades—it has been the Zionist regime’s go-to excuse for its aggressions. A so-called ‘preemptive strike’ has no legal basis and is merely a shabby political excuse.”
A woman sits inside her damaged house at an impact site following the Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, June 14, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
We Will Defend Our People and Sovereignty as Long as the Aggression Continues
He noted that aside from one or two countries, no one has accepted this claim. “Iran’s focus—both our armed forces and our diplomacy—is on defending our nation’s sovereignty. Any state or individual claiming to help should pressure the aggressor to halt its attacks. The issue is clear: anyone who truly seeks to engage based on their legal responsibilities must begin by forcing Israel to stop its crimes. As long as the aggression continues, we will defend our people and our homeland.”
IAEA Board of Governors Must Take a Firm Stand Against Israel’s Crime
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors is being held today at Iran’s request. “The Board of Governors and the IAEA bear clear responsibility in the face of this crime,” he said.
“Iran’s nuclear facilities—which have been under continuous IAEA monitoring—were targeted in this aggression. The Board and the IAEA Director General must adopt a firm stance. We are also pursuing actions within BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and other international bodies where we are a member, to condemn this crime.”
Iran Stresses Its Commitment to a WMD-Free West Asia
In response to a question on whether Iran might withdraw from the NPT in light of recent developments, the spokesperson said: “Such matters, including how to address the NPT, are decided in the relevant institutions.”
He added: “Iran continues to view all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms, as contrary to its religious teachings. As a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, we are aware of our responsibilities.”
He emphasized: “Iran has always advocated for the realization of a West Asia free of weapons of mass destruction.”
Israel Has Committed a Clear Act of Aggression and a War Crime
The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in response to a question about reports that some foreign diplomatic missions in Tehran were damaged during Israel’s recent attacks, stated:
“Contrary to its claims, the Israeli regime deliberately targeted residential buildings and ordinary civilians.”
He confirmed that at least two foreign diplomatic missions in Tehran were damaged in the Israeli strikes, including the residence of one of the diplomats representing U.S. interests in Iran (via the Swiss embassy).
Baqaei added: “At the time of the attack, the diplomat was not at home. We believe that had they been present, they could have been harmed.”
He also noted that shrapnel from the strikes damaged a building belonging to another regional country in Tehran.
“Israel’s act is a blatant violation and constitutes a war crime,” Baqaei emphasized. “The Foreign Ministry stands fully by the armed forces”
Asked whether he fears further attacks, especially since one of the ministry’s buildings was targeted just a day earlier, Baqaei replied:
“Life and death are in God’s hands. The Foreign Ministry stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces. Our lives are no more valuable than those defending the country.”
He went on to reveal that the Foreign Ministry’s archives center—a repository of the nation’s history and identity—was among the sites hit in the attack. “This shows that the Israeli regime has a problem not just with Iran’s presence but with its very identity,” he said.
“Iranians of all beliefs and ideologies are united in defending the sovereignty of their country,” he stressed.
During the briefing, images of civilian victims from Israel’s recent attacks on Iran were displayed beside the speaker’s podium as a reminder of the human toll of the ongoing escalation.
Images of the civilian martyrs of the recent Zionist regime attack on Iran / WANA News Agency
