News - Middle East: Iran says it is firmly determined to respond to the recent Israeli act of aggression against the country and will not abandon its right in this regard.

“Iran will not give up its right to respond to the Zionist regime. This is a right and a responsibility of the government, therefore, … we are firm and serious in our response,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at his weekly press conference on Monday.

The Israeli regime attacked several Iranian military facilities early Saturday, killing four servicemen of the Armed Forces and one civilian.

Iran’s Air Defense Base said some limited damage was caused in some areas, the dimensions of which are being investigated.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Iran is not looking for war but will give an “appropriate response” to Israel’s latest act of aggression.

Israel 'root cause' of all regional problems

Baghaei said widespread condemnations of the Israeli aggression against Iran by regional and extra-regional countries exposed consensus among them.

“Regional countries have come to the conclusion that the Zionist regime’s 80-year occupation is the main problem and the root cause of insecurity in the region. They are worried about the spread of tension and war in the region,” he added.

The Iranian spokesman emphasized that regional states hold the supporters of Israel responsible for preventing international organizations, particularly the UN Security Council, from taking any measure against the regime’s crimes.

Iran received the important assurance from all regional countries that the airspace and territory of no country will be used to conduct any harmful act, he said.

Baghaei noted that all countries have a legal duty not to allow a third party to use its territory to invade another country.

He expressed confidence that no neighboring country has allowed an aggressor to use its territory in the Israeli attack on Iran.

Definitely, he said, the Iraqi government considers itself committed to show reaction and protest to the United Nations over the abuse of its territory in order to prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

“The Zionist regime knows no limits to its acts of aggression,” the Iranian spokesman pointed out.

He said Iran does not seek to wage a war but it will never hesitate to defend itself, adding that the Iranian nation and Armed Forces have no fear of war.

As a responsible country in the region, Iran will spare no efforts to prevent the expansion of war, Baghaei emphasized.

'Impunity has emboldened Israel to commit more crimes'

Baghaei said Iran has seized every opportunity at regional and international levels to urge the international community to end the Israeli regime’s genocidal war against the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip and help refugees.

He noted that all of Iran’s recent political consultations with countries have been focused on finding ways to put an immediate end to Israel’s crimes in Gaza and Lebanon.

Iran believes that Israel’s impunity and the US' relentless support for it are the most important factors in emboldening the regime to commit more crimes, he emphasized.

He said the US must stop its arms, intelligence, and political support for Israel to end the regime’s crimes.

Asked about Egypt’s proposal for a two-day truce in Gaza and limited exchange of prisoners, the Iranian spokesperson said, “Ceasefire is not an accurate word because this word should be used when there is a war between two sides but in this case, one side is engaged in genocide.”

He added that Iran has welcomed any initiative regarding the necessity of ending Israel’s acts of genocide and crimes in Gaza and Lebanon “but the parties participating in the Doha meeting showed that they lack the necessary will.”

Press TV