Iran says 'entitled to defend against foreign acts of aggression'

Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned the Israeli act of aggression against the country’s military installations as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, especially the principle that prohibits threats or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, given the inherent right of legitimate defense which is stipulated in Article 51 of the UN Charter, considers itself entitled to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement released on Saturday.

It emphasized that Tehran will utilize all material and spiritual capabilities of the Iranian nation to defend its security and vital interests, and firmly stand by its duties towards regional peace and security.

Iran also considers it the individual and collective responsibility of all regional countries to protect peace and stability in West Asia, and appreciates all the peace-loving countries in the region and elsewhere that have expressed their disgust and condemned the aggressive action of the occupying Israeli regime in light of the precarious status quo in the region, it said.

“Undoubtedly, the continuation of the occupation, illegal actions and crimes of the Zionist regime in the region, especially the genocide of the Palestinian people and aggression against Lebanon – which has continued in light of the all-out military and political support of the United States and some other Western countries – is the main cause of tensions and insecurity in the area,” the statement said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran once again recalls the responsibility of each member state of the United Nations, member states of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and member states of the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949, to adopt urgent and collective actions against gross violations of international law and the UN Charter, the Convention on the Prohibition of Genocide and international humanitarian rights, which are considered as a serious violation of international peace and security, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also underlined the need for immediate and urgent action by the international community to stop the genocide, wars and aggression against Gaza and Lebanon and curtail the Zionist regime’s warmongering policies.

Iran's air defense 'successfully intercepts, counters' Israeli aggression

Iran’s air defense force has confirmed Israeli attacks targeting positions in Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam provinces, saying the aggression was successfully thwarted.

Iran’s Air Defense Base said in a statement on Saturday that the country’s air defenses have successfully confronted Israeli acts of aggression.

The base stated that the criminal, illegitimate and fake regime of Israel in a move to escalate tensions launched attacks on some military sites in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam in the early hours of the day.

Iran’s air defenses intercepted and successfully confronted the acts of aggression, it said, adding that some limited damage was caused in some areas, the dimensions of which are being investigated.

The statement urged people to maintain unity and calm and ignore rumors spread by the enemy media.

Loud sounds were heard by some people in the vicinity of Tehran in the wee hours of Saturday, which Iranian security sources said were due to the activation of air defense systems.

The Iranian Army later said two of its servicemen had been martyred in the military attacks by the Israeli regime early Saturday.

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