Foreign ministry officials in Tehran issued a strong condemnation on Sunday regarding American military strikes carried out against Iranian targets over the preceding 24 hours, charging Washington with breaches of international law and advising neighboring states against supporting operations against the country.
The statement was released just prior to an announcement by US Central Command confirming additional military strikes against Iranian positions, for the fourth time this week.
The US strikes have come in response to Iran’s violations of the ceasefire agreed to between the sides. The strikes the last two nights followed Iran’s repeated attacks on commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite this, Iran’s Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement on Sunday night, “Only 25 days after the signing of the agreement to end the war, the United States has openly violated nearly all parts of that agreement. By attacking Iran’s transportation infrastructure, fishing vessels, cargo barges, and meteorological facilities and buildings, the US has committed some of the most heinous acts of war crimes."
Iranian officials further claimed that American forces utilized military bases and territory located along the southern Persian Gulf coastline to launch the assaults. In response, the ministry cautioned that any facility or origin point used to attack Iranian territory would be treated as an acceptable target for “defensive strikes" by the nation's military.
Calling for international intervention, the foreign ministry urged the United Nations and its Security Council to hold “the aggressor parties and those who aided and facilitated them accountable."
Early Sunday morning, CENTCOM announced that American forces had launched a third round of strikes against Iran, following an attack by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a CENTCOM statement, "US forces hit approximately 140 Iranian military targets with precision munitions launched by land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels. Targets included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations."
Hours after the US strikes, sirens went off in Bahrain, warning of an Iranian attack.
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense also announced that the country's air defense systems are active and intercepting missile and drone threats launched from Iranian territory.
The Ministry of Defense of Qatar later announced that the country's security and air defense forces successfully intercepted a missile attack aimed at Qatari territory.
Despite the recent escalation, President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Iran had asked to continue talks, though he declared that the ceasefire is over.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!" the President wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump told reporters, as last week’s strikes were ongoing, that the Iranians had called him and are desperate to make a deal with the US.
“Iran called a while ago. They want to make a deal so badly," said the President, who added, “I just don't know if they are worthy. I don't know if they are going to honor the deal. That's the problem."