Iran rejects West's calls for restraint: Araghchi
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounces the West's stance on the recent escalation and warns of severe consequences following "Israel's" aggression against Iran.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the provocative stances of European countries against Iran, rejecting calls for "restraint" and warning of the consequences of continuing such policies, while also urging condemnation of the Israeli aggression.
Araghchi held separate phone calls with his counterparts in Britain, Australia, and India, during which he discussed the recent Israeli aggression against Iran, expressing his country's rejection of Western stances, which he described as provocative.
The Iranian FM firmly rejected "Western calls for Iran to show restraint," declaring them "entirely unacceptable," and warned that Iran would deliver a "crushing response" to any threat against its national security.
The Iranian Foreign Minister further warned of the consequences of continuing current Western policies, calling on the international community to take a clear stance in condemning "Israel's" aggression against Iran, an attack that resulted in the deaths of military leaders, officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians.
He asserted that the criminal Israeli aggression had derailed diplomatic efforts and undermined the negotiation process, emphasizing that Iran had been actively engaging in negotiations before this escalation.
EU's Von Der Leyen reaffirms support for 'Israel'
Despite the scale of the Israeli aggression on Iran and the killing of dozens of civilians, including women and children, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, reiterated "Israel's right to defend itself and protect its people."
Von Der Leyen spoke to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, urging "all parties to act with maximum restraint and work to de-escalate the situation."
Iran launches True Promise III in retaliation to Israeli aggression
In retaliation for Israeli strikes against multiple Iranian targets, including military and nuclear sites, Iran fired more than 200 missiles in three separate barrages on June 13 under Operation True Promise III, after "Israel" launched wide-scale attacks on Iran.
Israeli media reported that approximately 150 missiles were fired from Esfahan, Iran, toward "Israel". Initial reports indicated a direct hit near the Israeli Security Ministry in Tel Aviv, resulting in a significant fire, as the IRGC officially claimed these strikes as part of Operation True Promise III in retaliation for previous attacks.
Separately, Israeli outlets described massive explosions heard over a sensitive military site, with additional reports confirming several Israeli soldiers were wounded at the Nevatim airbase in the al-Naqab desert during the bombardment.
