The Israeli regime attacked Iran using US-supplied weapons, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, reiterating that Tehran holds Washington responsible for the aggression.
“On Friday, when my compatriots were sleeping and our people were preparing for the great Eid, the Zionist regime attacked our land using all kinds of weapons donated by the US,” Baghaei said at his weekly press conference on Monday.
“A number of our prominent figures and a large number of our compatriots were martyred in this cruel aggression,” he added.
In a massive airstrike early on Friday, the Israeli regime assassinated several Iranian military commanders and scientists, and martyred dozens of civilians, the majority of them being women and children.
Among those martyred were Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri, IRGC Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, head of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General AmirAli Hajizadeh, and senior IRGC commander General Gholam Ali Rashid.
Nuclear scientists Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, Dr. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and Dr. Abdolhamid Minoucher were also martyred in separate attacks.
US policymakers ‘complicit’
Asked to comment on the fact that the attack was carried out concurrent with indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, the spokesperson said, “The Zionist regime’s actions—which we cannot imagine occurring without US support—have rendered the negotiation process meaningless. It is America’s duty to take a clear position.”
“We have no doubt that the Zionist regime could not have carried out this brazen attack without U.S. coordination, collaboration, and support. America must understand: they are complicit in every drop of blood spilled on Iranian soil and every building destroyed in this assault,” he said.
‘Negotiations under these conditions meaningless’
On the prospect of resuming indirect talks, Baghaei stated, “They are absolutely meaningless. As a UN Security Council member, the US is obligated to formally recognize this aggression.”
He added that Iran cannot accept that the US—which maintains relations with this regime—would create obstacles to acknowledging reality.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran has demonstrated with strength and confidence that it is committed to dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation, he said, adding that the party that deserves condemnation here is the Zionist regime, which launched its aggression in the midst of ongoing talks.
‘Iran to defend itself as long as aggression continues’
According to Baghaei, Iran’s diplomatic apparatus and armed forces are wholly focused on defending the country’s sovereignty.
“Any party seeking to mediate must first compel this criminal regime to halt its atrocities. The immediate priority must be forcing this regime to end its aggression – for as long as these attacks continue, we will steadfastly defend our nation’s honor and protect our people,” he said.
Baghaei said that the regime’s attacks have targeted residential areas and nuclear facilities, violating all international norms.
He also noted that the assassination of Iran’s military figures—when no war existed—and the killing of Iranians in civilian spaces constitute blatant war crimes.
Regarding certain European countries’ alignment with Israel while expressing readiness for negotiations with Iran, Baghaei said, “This contradictory approach demands an explanation.
“Two of these three nations are UN Security Council members and JCPOA participants. If they truly valued the JCPOA, they would have condemned the Israeli regime’s crimes.”
Underscoring that Iran’s nuclear program remains the only one in the world with explicit legitimacy under UN Security Council resolutions, he added that the recent attacks on these facilities constitute a violation of both the JCPOA and the global non-proliferation regime.
“We expect the international community to focus all efforts on stopping this aggression and condemning the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites,” he said.
