Iranian FM warns US against ‘adventurous’ actions

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned the United States against taking any “adventurous” actions, saying those responsible would bear the consequences, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.

Araghchi made the remarks during separate phone conversations with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, during which they exchanged views on the latest regional developments, Mehr said in a report.

Araghchi told Munir and Fidan that Iran was fully prepared to safeguard its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, and would respond decisively to any act of aggression, reports Xinhua news agency.

In talks with his Saudi counterpart, Araghchi warned that any hostile US or Israeli action, as well as any regional support for it, would draw a firm, proportionate response from Iran’s armed forces, it added.

Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating the peace memorandum of understanding they reached mid-June, citing its continued strikes on Iranian targets, blockade on Iranian ports and commercial shipping, and stepped-up economic pressure.

In a statement, the ministry vowed to continue to resist US “unlawful aggression” and to firmly defend its national dignity and independence.

The remarks followed renewed exchanges of airstrikes between the United States and Iran after days of pause.

Before the pause, the United States had launched multiple waves of strikes against Iranian targets, saying they were in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and aimed at “degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.”

Earlier, Araghchi has warned Britain against any military cooperation with the United States in carrying out strikes on Iran.

Araghchi made the remarks during a phone call with British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Friday, stressing that any cooperation with “aggressors,” including under the pretext of existing defense agreements, would be “unacceptable,” according to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

IANS