Defense minister: Iran uses all available means to defend nation, territorial integrity

The Iranian minister of defense has reiterated the country’s stance that the recent move to target hostile forces in neighboring countries was ‘legitimate’ and based on the country’s defense doctrine.

Commenting on targeting anti-Iran terrorist groups in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) last week, Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani said on Saturday that, “The Islamic Republic uses all means to defend its territorial integrity and people.”

He dismissed accusations that Iran violated the three neighboring countries’ territorial integrity but added, “We do not accept any threats against us from the neighboring countries.”

Iran says it targeted a terrorist group’s base in Syria, and an Israeli Mossad spy agency’s espionage center in northern Iraq in response to terrorist attacks inside Iran. It also hit two bases of ‘Jaish ul-Adl’ terror outfit in Pakistan in retaliation for several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years. The move drew an angry reaction from Pakistan that reciprocated the attack, before it announced that the relations are back to normal.

Brigadier General Ashtiani said Iran’s priority is to inform the neighboring countries of the provocative moves by terror groups well in advance, adding the IRGC got militarily involved after the countries failed to take care of the threat posed against Iran.

The defense minister argued that Iran’s move was within the framework of international laws.

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