Rania Abushamala
20 March 2026•Update: 20 March 2026
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called for urgent action by regional countries to prevent the US and Israel from using their territory and facilities to carry out military attacks on Iran.
In a statement Thursday, Baghaei described remarks by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan at an emergency consultative meeting in Riyadh as “unfair, one-sided and inconsistent with a responsible approach to regional developments.”
He said that “no party can ignore the clear fact that the root cause of the current crisis in the region is the imposed war by the US and the Israeli regime,” adding the two nations “are using military bases and facilities in regional countries to plan, execute and support their aggressive actions against Iran.”
Baghaei stressed Iran’s “inherent right to self-defense against US and Israeli military aggression,” noting that under international law and the UN Charter, “no country is permitted to allow its territory or facilities to be used by third parties to carry out military aggression against another state.”
Referring to “credible evidence” of the continued use of regional bases for attacks, he said countries hosting US military facilities bear international responsibility, warning that “those assisting or participating in US and Israeli military aggression against Iran will be considered accomplices in the committed crimes.”
He also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to international law and the principles of “good neighborliness and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,” expressing hope that regional states would act “in a rational and responsible manner” to prevent such use of their territory and avoid further regional division.
A regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
