Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is ready to form a joint investigation committee with neighbouring countries to determine the nature of targets struck in recent attacks across the region, insisting Iran has targeted only US military assets and not civilian sites.
In an exclusive interview with The New Arab’s sister outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Araghchi said Iran had proposed sitting down with Gulf and other Arab "friends" in the region to review incidents and establish whether the sites hit were American targets or not.
"The attacks being carried out target only US bases, interests and military installations in the region on the territory of these countries," Araghchi said, describing the strikes as part of Iran’s self-defence against US attacks launched from those locations.
Iran has repeatedly struck sites in several Gulf states in recent weeks as the war on country by Washington and Israel has escalated.
Araghchi said that Iran cannot directly strike back at the US despite attacks launched against Iran from American bases in the region.
"When the United States comes from ten thousand kilometres away toward Iran and attacks us here, it is natural that we cannot respond on American territory itself," he said. "We must respond to its bases and facilities in the region."
The Iranian foreign minister also accused some regional governments of allowing US forces to use bases on their territory to launch attacks against Iran.
He cited what he said was a recent attack on Iran’s Kharg Island using HIMARS missiles, claiming their trajectory showed they were launched from locations inside the UAE.
"These missiles could not have been launched from anywhere except from the territory of our neighbours," Araghchi said.
Regional governments have also accused Iran of striking civilian infrastructure during the conflict, something Tehran strongly denies.
"We have not attacked any residential or civilian target," Araghchi said, acknowledging that collateral damage may occur in wartime but insisting Iran had taken precautions to avoid civilian areas.
He pointed to what he described as retaliatory strikes after Iranian targets were hit, saying Tehran had adopted an "eye for an eye" approach.
"If they target our bank, we target an American bank," he said, referring to an Iranian claim that Bank Sepah in Tehran was attacked and that Iran responded by targeting Citibank branches in Bahrain and the UAE.
Drone attack 'conspiracy'
Araghchi also suggested that some attacks blamed on Iran in neighbouring Arab countries may not have been carried out by Tehran at all.
He claimed the US had developed a drone similar to Iran’s Shahed drones, known as "Lucas", which could be used to carry out attacks in the region to implicate Iran.
"The Americans have produced a drone similar to our Shahed drone called 'Lucas', identical to it," he said, adding that Tehran had obtained information suggesting such drones may have been used to strike targets in Arab countries.
Araghchi said Iran was prepared to investigate such incidents jointly with regional governments, arguing that some attacks could be intended to damage relations between Tehran and its Arab neighbours.
"I believe Israel wants, by targeting civilian sites, to push relations between us and our Arab friends toward a negative path," he said.
The Iranian foreign minister also addressed growing concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route.
He said the strait had not been closed entirely, but that Iran had restricted access for American vessels and those belonging to its allies.
"The Strait of Hormuz is closed only to American ships and oil tankers and those of its allies," Araghchi said, adding that vessels from other countries continued to pass through the waterway.
Araghchi said Iran would continue fighting until it receives guarantees that attacks against the country will not happen again.
"This war will end when we are certain it will not be repeated and that compensation will be paid," he said.
Diplomatic contacts with neighbouring states including Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia remain ongoing despite the conflict, he said, with regional governments attempting to reduce tensions and explore possible pathways to end the war.
"We welcome any idea or proposal that leads to a fair end to this war and provides guarantees that it will not happen again," Araghchi said.
Original interview in Arabic here