Speaking in his weekly press briefing among reporters on Monday, he strongly condemned the US attacks on the civilian infrastructures, medical and healthcare treatment centers, bridges and installations on which people's livelihood depends on them.
No political or military claim can justify the suffering of a child waiting in the hospital for treatment or the anxiety of a family whose city's connecting bridge has been destroyed, Baghaei underlined.
Washington has once again demonstrated its "destructive logic" by targeting facilities vital to people's lives and security, he deplored.
"They targeted our civilian and non-military facilities and infrastructures in several provinces, and in doing so they once again revealed America's destructive logic," the diplomat maintained.
"An attack on infrastructure is not merely an attack on a few points on a map; it is an attack on human security and on people's lives," the spokesman added.
The for
eign ministry's diplomat paid tribute to the people of southern regions of Iran, saying they deserve "more respect and appreciation than ever," describing them as "the guardians of the Persian Gulf and the Makran coasts."
Turning to the US attack on an elementary school in southern city of Minab, Hormozgan province on February 28, Baghaei pointed out, “There is no doubt that vicious US attack on Minab Elementary School was deliberate and it cannot be justified.”
No words can describe the grief of the people who lost their infrastructures in southern parts of the country in this life-threatening hot weather, he continued.
Iran is not a collection of remote and faraway islands that can be wounded in one part and expected to remain calm in the other parts, he said, adding, “If Hormozgan is wounded, Mazandaran will suffer; if Chabahar is targeted, Tehran's heart will beat; and if a child in Ahvaz is frightened by the sound of an explosion, no Iranian in this land will sleep peacefully. Iran is one body, and every wound on every corner of it is a wound on this entire body.”
Diplomatic efforts ongoing alongside response of Armed Forces
Baghaei said that diplomatic efforts are ongoing alongside the response of its powerful Armed Forces to any aggression.
Iran has confirmed receiving proposals and ideas from several mediators aimed at reducing tensions with the United States, he continued.
At the same time, the Islamic Republic of Iran will spare no effort to stop US crimes committed against the country, he said.
The spokesman added that while Iran’s Armed Forces were responding “with strength and determination” and targeting the sources of US aggression, the country’s diplomatic apparatus was also fully engaged in carrying out its responsibilities.
“I reiterate that the diplomatic apparatus, in coordination with the defenders of the homeland in the Armed Forces, is pursuing its duties,” Baghaei said, adding, “The proposals put forward through mediators have been conveyed to us, and we have received them. However, I would rather not go into their details at this stage.”
The Iranian diplomat referred to the US attack on Iran’s Darkhoyen nuclear power plant, urging the UN nuclear watchdog to explicitly condemn a recent US attack on the nuclear power plant’s construction site.
Baghaei emphasized that the strike exposed Washington's hostility toward Iran's scientific and industrial progress.
"Iran expects the IAEA Director General himself to clearly state his position in condemnation of the US crime," he said.
The spokesman lashed out at the UN nuclear watchdog's silence over the attack, saying such inaction would only further erode Iran's confidence in the agency.
"This silence and indifference certainly do not strengthen our trust in the IAEA," he said.
No ambiguity in MoU inked btw Iran, US
Responding to a question about media claims that differing interpretations of the Iran–US war-ending memorandum of understanding had led to its collapse, Baghaei dismissed the analysis as “completely incorrect,” saying it only served to justify Washington’s failure to honor its commitments.
He said the memorandum consisted of only 14 articles and contained no ambiguous provisions. “The text is entirely clear, and the United States has no excuse for violating the agreement,” he said.
Baghaei pointed to Article 5 as an example, saying it explicitly states that responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz rests with Iran and will be pursued through consultations with Oman and dialogue with regional countries.
US violations prompted reciprocal response
Asked whether Iran had suspended implementation of the memorandum of understanding and about the future of the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said Tehran’s position had remained unchanged from the outset: “commitment for commitment.”
He said Iran fully honored its obligations as long as the other side complied with its own commitments, stressing, “Iran has never been the first to violate an agreement.”
According to Baghaei, once the United States began breaching its obligations one after another, Iran made clear that it would likewise cease implementing its commitments.
Accountability for Minab massacre
Responding to Trump’s claim that images from the Minab school attack were generated using artificial intelligence, Baghaei said US officials should reconsider the information and assessments they receive.
The spokesperson dismissed the allegation, saying there was “no doubt” that the attack on the school in Minab had been carried out deliberately by the United States and that Washington was fully aware of its actions.
He described the strike on the school as one of “thousands of war crimes” committed against the Iranian people and said no justification could diminish the responsibility of those who ordered or carried out the attacks.
Defending Iran’s sovereignty will continue
Asked about recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington remained ready to pursue a diplomatic solution with Iran, Baghaei said Tehran had repeatedly tested such claims in practice.
He argued that when the United States speaks of diplomacy, it is often accompanied by “imposition, intimidation, threats and sanctions,” rather than genuine engagement.
“As long as the United States continues to seek to impose its demands on the Iranian nation,” he said, “our response will be to defend Iran’s dignity and national sovereignty.”
US will face consequences of any adventurism on Khark Island
Responding to a question about reported threats by President Trump regarding the possible seizure of Khark Island and the consequences of such a move, Baghaei issued a brief warning: “They will see the consequences.”
Iraqi prime minister’s visit to Tehran ‘highly significant’
Commenting on the upcoming visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Zaidi to Tehran, Baghaei described the trip as “highly significant,” underscoring the importance Iran attaches to its ties with neighboring Iraq.
He said Iran has consistently supported Iraq’s stability, prosperity, sovereignty and independence while respecting the country’s internal political process. In contrast, he said, the US has pursued policies of interference, intimidation, and coercion toward regional countries, including Iraq.
Baqaei said the visit could mark a new milestone in the growing relations between the two neighboring Muslim countries. He added that the two sides are expected to discuss economic and trade cooperation, border issues, and shared security concerns. Several agreements and memorandums of understanding are also expected to be signed during the visit, with details to be announced later, he noted.
MNA