By John Moses
Iran has strongly denounced a recent statement by the Group of Seven (G7) nations that labelled the Islamic Republic as a central source of instability in the Middle East, following a dramatic escalation in hostilities between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
The G7, comprising leading Western democracies, met in Canada this week and issued a communiqué asserting Israel’s right to self-defence and accusing Iran of fuelling terrorism and regional unrest.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei slammed the statement as one-sided and accused the G7 of ignoring what he described as “Israel’s blatant aggression” towards Iran.
In a statement released Tuesday, Baghaei said Israeli airstrikes had unlawfully targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and residential areas, leading to civilian casualties and the deaths of several Iranian citizens.
He referred to Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of another state, and described Israel’s military action as an “unprovoked war of aggression.”
Iran claims Israel began the assault on Friday, targeting key nuclear sites, military installations, and high-ranking defence officials. Iranian authorities confirmed that prominent scientists and military commanders were among those affected.
In retaliation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has reportedly launched missile strikes at targets inside Israel, further inflaming fears of a broader regional war.
The diplomatic fallout between the Islamic Republic and Western powers is expected to deepen as international calls for de-escalation clash with the hardening positions of both Iran and Israel.
