Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Aug 24: Iran will not allow the war to end on conditions imposed by the “aggressive” parties, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, asserting that Tehran remains determined to defend its territory.
“We have definitely not been the party to start the war, but we will not let the war's end be based on the aggressive parties' conditions,” Baghaei told a weekly press conference in Tehran.
He said Iran would not “compromise with the aggressive parties” or surrender to what he described as their “excessive demands”.
Baghaei also dismissed US claims that the Strait of Hormuz remained open and that millions of barrels of oil were passing through the strategic waterway every day, describing the assertions as part of “psychological and media warfare”.
He criticised Washington’s newly announced economic operation against Iran and said Tehran would use all its “multilateral capacities” to counter US sanctions, which he described as harmful to free trade and national sovereignty, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The Iranian spokesman also warned countries assisting US anti-Iran operations that they could face consequences, while describing the US naval blockade as an “act of aggression”.
Asked about Western media reports that Iran could target US bases in Europe if the conflict resumed, Baghaei said Tehran reserved the right to target the origin and source of any “act of aggression” if another country allowed its bases, facilities or equipment to be used for such actions.
A ceasefire between the warring parties was reached on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
However, sporadic attacks continued on both sides and the MoU was not renewed after it expired.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced what he called “the most crushing economic operation ever taken” against any country providing a lifeline to Iran, describing the move as an “economic D-Day”.