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STANDARD DIPLOMATIC UNVERIFIED

Iranian FM Spokesman Justifies Strikes on US Facilities as Legitimate Self-Defense

Jul 12, 2026 04:50 PM CT Tehran, Iran iran,united states,diplomatic statement,self-defense justification,escalation rhetoric

Summary

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei issued a statement characterizing Iranian strikes on US facilities as legitimate self-defense. The statement accuses the US of violating international law and attempts to shift blame for the escalation onto American actions. This represents diplomatic posturing to justify military actions within the broader Iran-US confrontation.

Full Content

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, "it is far from responsible to blame Iran for defending its sovereignty while failing to hold the aggressors accountable for their egregious violation of international law"

Sources (1)

T4 TASS
15% reliable Link

Actor Responses

Iran NEUTRAL

Asserted that strikes on US facilities were legitimate self-defense and blamed the US for violating international law.

United States NEUTRAL

Referenced as the aggressor whose facilities were struck and whose actions are cited as the cause for Iranian retaliation.

Related Events (4)

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→ PARALLEL TO 75% confidence
STANDARD Iranian Foreign Ministry Defends Self-Defense Actions Amid International Criticism

"Event 10 is a nearly identical diplomatic event where the Iranian Foreign Ministry defends self-defense actions. The new event is a specific statement by the Spokesman justifying strikes on US facilities. These are parallel diplomatic efforts occurring simultaneously to manage the narrative of the same military escalation."

← RETALIATION FOR 95% confidence
STANDARD US CENTCOM Launches Direct Strikes on Iranian Targets in Response to Strait of Hormuz Attacks

"The new event is a diplomatic justification for Iranian strikes on US facilities. Event 7 describes the US launching direct strikes on Iranian targets. The Iranian statement characterizes their actions as 'self-defense' against US aggression, indicating that the Iranian strikes (and the subsequent justification) are a retaliatory response to the US military action described in Event 7."

← RETALIATION FOR 85% confidence
STANDARD US CENTCOM Conducts Strikes to Degrade Iranian Maritime Attack Capabilities in Strait of Hormuz

"Event 1 describes US CENTCOM conducting strikes to degrade Iranian capabilities. The new event justifies Iranian strikes on US facilities as self-defense. This suggests the Iranian military action, which is being justified, was a direct retaliation for the US strikes mentioned in Event 1."