Neighbours won't allow use of their 'soil or airspace' for attack: Iran

KUWAIT CITY: Iran’s neighbours have pledged they will not allow the use of their “soil or airspace” for any attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday, as Israel weighs a retaliation for the Islamic republic’s missile strike.

“All our neighbours have assured us that they won’t allow their soil or airspace to be used against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Araghchi told a press conference in Kuwait, weeks after Iran’s October 1 missile attack on Israel.

Before Kuwait, Araghchi was in Bahrain on Monday as part of a regional tour that has also taken him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey.

“We are monitoring closely the movements of American bases in the region and are aware of all their movements and flights,” Araghchi said, adding: “If Israel attacks Iran in any form, Iran will respond in the same format.”

The United States, Israel’s staunch ally, has military resources across the region including in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Araghchi also repeated Iran’s warnings against Israel not to attack its nuclear facilities.

“Attacking nuclear sites is a big international crime; even threatening (to attack) nuclear sites is a crime and against international rights,” he said.

“To defend ourselves and our nuclear sites, we have our own tools and methods, and we count on them,” the minister added.