Tehran has maintained that its strikes against American bases in the region are strictly defensive

Iran has warned that Arab states in the Middle East are legitimate targets for retaliatory strikes because they host US military bases.

The US continued striking targets in Iran early on Monday local time, marking the fourth consecutive night of bombardment. On Sunday, Iran responded by firing missiles and drones at US military sites in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

In a statement carried by ISNA late on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the "barbaric" US attacks and accused the Gulf monarchies of turning their countries into "an arena for its illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation."

"The neighboring countries are obliged under international law to prevent the aggressor from using their territory and facilities to carry out military aggression against Iran," the ministry added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides to "exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to de-escalate."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responded by arguing that Iran's actions were justified. "Iran does not 'attack.' Iran's strikes on US military bases and assets stationed in the southern Persian Gulf constitute a legitimate and lawful exercise of its inherent right to self-defense under international law," he wrote on X on Sunday.

The war began with a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28. Regular exchanges of strikes stopped after a ceasefire in April, which led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 17.

Hostilities resumed recently as the sides disagreed over the interpretation of the MoU and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran declared closed to shipping in response to the US and Israeli strikes.

(RT.com)