'Not A War Of Choice': Iran’s Foreign Ministry Warns of Escalation; Says Defence Of Iranian Soil Not Hostility

During a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei issued a defiant message to the international community, asserting that the Iranian people are "fully prepared to defend their home soil."

Addressing recent comments from US President Donald Trump regarding American influence over the nation, Baghaei maintained that the future of the country will be defined solely by "the will of our people" rather than external pressures.

Diplomatic breakdown and violation of international norms

Baghaei took aim at the United States for undermining the peace process, accusing Washington of having "torpedoed" diplomatic negotiations that were active prior to the latest military strikes.

He characterised the timing of the attacks as a betrayal of ongoing dialogue, stating that "they waged a war while we were fully engaged in diplomatic discourse." Consequently, he noted that the nation is now "with one voice defending our country" against what he described as a blatant disregard for global legal standards.

Baghaei further argued that the joint actions of the US and Israel have put all international laws at risk, claiming "they have violated all international norms and practices."

Allegations of resource exploitation and partitioning

The spokesman's rhetoric sharpened as he outlined what he believes to be the underlying motives behind the current military pressure. Baghaei accused the US of orchestrating a campaign to seize Iran's natural resources and fracture its territory. He remarked that "their design is clear, their enterprise is quite obvious – they aim at partitioning our country to take illegal possession of our oil riches."

He went on to describe the campaign as a broader assault on the nation's identity, asserting that "their objective is to violate our sovereignty, defeat our people and undermine our humanity."

Regional relations and denial of neighbouring strikes

Despite the escalating conflict, Baghaei insisted that Tehran remains "adamant to maintain good and friendly relations" with neighbouring countries. While several regional states have been caught in the crossfire of missile and drone activity, the spokesman clarified that Iran’s actions are purely reactive.

He emphasised that "our act of defence cannot be interpreted as an act of hostility towards any of these countries," though he warned that Iran retains the "right to defence" should any neighbouring territories be used as staging grounds for attacks against it.

Furthermore, Baghaei explicitly denied reports that Iranian munitions had targeted Turkiye, Cyprus, or Azerbaijan over the past week. He stated firmly that "no offensives were initiated from Iranian territory" toward those nations. He suggested that such reports might be the result of provocations by adversaries, noting that "we have warned repeatedly that the enemy may stage certain attacks to drive a wedge between us and other countries."

A war of necessity

When questioned about the possibility of mediation or a potential ceasefire, Baghaei dismissed the conversation as premature while active combat continues. He noted that "as we speak, military confrontations are still underway," and argued that discussing anything other than immediate defence is currently "irrelevant."

Framing the conflict as a forced engagement rather than an act of aggression by Tehran, he concluded that "we did not initiate or start this war. It is not a war of choice. It is a war of necessity that was imposed on us."

Published on: Monday, March 09, 2026, 04:22 PM IST