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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a press conference in Tehran on Monday that there are people in Iran’s leadership “counting down the minutes to welcome” US forces in any ground invasion.
He added the United States will face “consequences of any adventure” to seize Kharg Island in southern Iran, according to Al Jazeera.
Tehran pursues war and diplomacy based on its national interests, he said on Monday, after being asked whether the door to talks with the US was now closed.
“I reject the duality of either war or diplomacy. Diplomacy is a tool through which we pursue our national interests, just like war,” Esmaeil Baghaei said.
According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei repeated Tehran’s stance that “there is no ambiguity” in the text of the interim deal signed with the US.
“The text of the memorandum of understanding is a short text and has 14 clauses,” he told reporters in the Iranian capital.
“We had said from the very beginning that the responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran and this issue will be pursued in consultation with Oman and through dialogue with regional countries,” Baghaei added.
“The text is completely clear, and there is no excuse for America to break the treaty.”
Al Jazeera reported that Baghaei said messages from the United States have been shared with Tehran through intermediaries recently despite ongoing fighting.
“We have been informed by mediators, we have received messages – without going into details – but the main point is that the diplomatic apparatus has been active in recent days and ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators,” he said.
The responsibility for the recent escalation lies with the US, Baghaei added.
“We have repeatedly emphasised that we have no hostility towards the countries of the region, but we expect them to do their duty and not allow attacks on Iran from their territory… As long as these crimes continue our armed forces will respond to them.”