Iran’s FM Araghchi slams US 12-nation regional summit, says ‘foreigners can’t even protect themselves’ | Today’s news
Hours after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had convened a regional security dialogue in Bahrain with 12 countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the meeting, saying “foreigners cannot even protect themselves”.
In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: “Has CENTCOM brought security or insecurity to our region? The answer is clear. Likewise, our powerful armed forces have proven that outsiders cannot protect themselves. Peace in our region can only be maintained if it is comprehensive and inclusive, without outside interference.”
Iranian leaders criticize US CENTCOM regional summit
Before Araghchi broke down in tears at a regional summit in Manama, Tehran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, also attacked CENTCOM over its meeting with military officials from 12 countries. He rejected the West’s attempt to allegedly dictate the security framework in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
In a post on X, he wrote: “Hormuz is defined under the command of Iran, not CENTCOM. A military summit in Bahrain cannot establish law and order and security for the Persian Gulf. The security of the region will be ensured by the end of interventions and the withdrawal of the US from the area, respect for the sovereignty of countries and the acceptance of new geopolitical realities – not under the military power of America.”
US CENTCOM conducts regional security dialogue
On Wednesday (local time), US Central Command hosted a regional security dialogue hosted by the Bahrain Defense Forces, attended by regional defense officials from 12 countries.
In a post on X, US CENTCOM wrote: “The United States and regional partners operate the most sophisticated and largest active air and missile defense umbrella in the entire Middle East. In January, CENTCOM and regional countries established a new Middle East Air Defense Coordination Cell to share information and warn of threats, as well as to respond to unforeseen events.”
CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper met with senior military officials from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen to discuss the ongoing security environment and opportunities to enhance defense cooperation in the region. CENTCOM added that defense leaders also emphasized their commitment to the free flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that has been a stumbling block in U.S.-Iran negotiations.
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Iran has warned oil tankers to use approved routes in Hormuz
Tehran’s Joint Military Command warned on Thursday (local time) that all oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz must use approved routes or face a “strong response,” the AP reported. The move is likely to reignite tensions over the strategic waterway.
A statement from the Joint Military Command said: “Any non-compliance, deviation from the designated route or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response by the armed forces, which will endanger the safety of the vessels that violated the rules.”
The AP said that while it was unclear what prompted Tehran’s warning about oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a statement by US CENTCOM at a meeting with military officials from Middle Eastern countries in Bahrain that said “leaders underscored their shared commitment to free trade” through the strait may have angered Iran.
Tehran also warned against interference by US forces in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it would “meet a swift and decisive response”.
The Islamic Republic’s warning came days after US negotiators engaged in indirect talks with mediators Pakistan and Qatar in Doha.
