Iran will defend itself against any aggression, says foreign minister
Baghdad wants to build balanced relations with its Gulf Arab neighbours and has proposed signing a non-aggression pact
Baghdad/Dubai — Iran will defend itself against any military or economic aggression, foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday, calling on European states to do more to preserve a nuclear agreement his country signed. Speaking at a news conference in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed al-Hakim, Zarif said his country wanted to build balanced relations with its Gulf Arab neighbours and that it had proposed signing a non-aggression pact with them. “We will defend against any war efforts against Iran, whether it be an economic war or a military one, and we will face these efforts with strength,” he said. Strains have increased between Iran and the US, which is a firm backer of Tehran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia, after May’s attack on oil tankers in the Gulf region that Washington has blamed on Iran. Tehran has distanced itself from the bombings, but the US has sent an aircraft carrier and an extra 1,500 troops to the Gulf, sparking concerns about the risks of c...
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