Araghchi: Iran reserves right to respond to Any act of aggression

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kyrgyzstan on Friday, Araghchi called on the organization to play a stronger role in defending multilateralism and international law.

He said that, under international law, Iran reserves the right to take all necessary measures in legitimate self-defense and considers the source of any aggression against the Iranian nation a legitimate target for defensive action by the Iranian Armed Forces.

Araghchi said Iran had exercised its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter following military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime. He stressed that Iran had not been the initiator of any war.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran’s policy has consistently been based on dialogue, diplomacy, good-neighborly relations and regional cooperation. However, he warned that lasting peace could only be achieved through respect for international law and an end to aggression, occupation and double standards.

Araghchi criticized the United States and the Israeli regime over what he described as repeated attacks on Iran, saying the strikes had targeted not only Iran’s national security but also fundamental principles of the international legal order.

He pointed to attacks on civilian facilities, critical infrastructure, economic centers and peaceful nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warning that the international community’s failure to respond effectively would undermine global security and the rule of law.

The Iranian foreign minister also accused Washington of violating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending the conflict, saying the United States had continued attacks on transportation infrastructure, water facilities, fishing boats, commercial vessels and other civilian targets.

He further warned that US involvement in security arrangements and maritime measures in the Strait of Hormuz had threatened the security of one of the world’s most important waterways and disrupted normal commercial shipping.

Araghchi stressed that security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz could not be achieved through the presence of extra-regional forces, but rather through cooperation, mutual respect and collective responsibility among regional countries.

Turning to regional developments, he strongly condemned the Israeli regime’s continued attacks on Lebanon and what he described as violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also described the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as one of the most serious challenges to regional and international peace and security.

He called for an immediate halt to military actions against civilians, the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid, opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians and support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Araghchi also highlighted the SCO’s potential role in addressing global challenges, saying the organization could become a stronger voice in support of multilateralism, national sovereignty, equality among states and the rule of law in international relations.

He urged SCO members to expand economic cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, strengthen regional transit networks and make greater use of independent financial mechanisms.

The Iranian foreign minister said Iran’s strategic geographical position, connecting Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and international waters, enables it to contribute to regional cooperation in transportation, energy security, trade and economic development.