 "Iran warns any support for US military action will be treated as 'legitimate target' amid deepening tensions")
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Iran has warned that any country or entity providing support to US military operations against the Islamic Republic would be regarded as a "legitimate target", as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to escalate despite a ceasefire agreement.
In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the country's unified military command, said any assistance to the United States in attacks on Iranian territory would invite a military response.
"The origin of any support for the aggressive US Army in its aggression against the sovereignty and territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be a legitimate target for the Armed Forces," the statement said.
The warning came hours after Iran's Foreign Ministry accused the United States of carrying out fresh military strikes against monitoring and surveillance centres along the country's southern coast in the early hours of July 8.
Condemning the attacks, the ministry said they violated Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter and breached the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending hostilities.
"The attacks constitute a blatant violation of Article 2(4) of the Charter of the United Nations and also amount to a flagrant breach of Clause 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Termination of the War, which provides for the cessation of military operations," the ministry said.
Tehran also accused Washington of undermining other key provisions of the agreement by revoking Iran's oil export licence, violating arrangements governing the Strait of Hormuz, and continuing to support what it described as Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
"The responsibility for the dangerous consequences of this escalation of tensions lies with the treaty-breaking US regime," the statement added.
Iran further warned neighbouring Gulf countries against allowing their territory or military facilities to be used for operations against the Islamic Republic. "Any cooperation in committing the crime of aggression against Iran constitutes complicity and participation in that crime," the ministry said.
The latest exchange follows remarks by US President Donald Trump, who declared that he considered diplomatic engagement with Iran effectively over.
Speaking to reporters during the NATO Summit in Turkey, Trump said he had no interest in continuing negotiations with Tehran. "To me, I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum... They're led by sick people... I'll speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate; they're good people... but they have to come back to me. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them," Trump said.
He also accused Iran's leadership of suppressing its own people and defended recent US military action.
"They're liars, they're cheats, they're sick people. They've hurt their people. They killed 54,000 people, as of now, who were protesting. You know, when people say How come they haven't taken over? They can't take over because they're dead," Trump said.
Referring to the overnight strikes, he added, "We attacked, very powerfully last night, the very dangerous people from Iran... There's something wrong with them. We say, 'Go and do your funeral stuff,' and instead of that, they start shooting rockets at ships yesterday. So we hit them very hard last night."
Earlier, Iran's Parliament Speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of repeatedly violating the ceasefire understanding.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf listed what he described as major US breaches, including renewed oil sanctions, attacks on southern Iran, threats of further military action, violations of arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and continued Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Ending his post with a warning, he wrote, "The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold."
The sharp exchange comes after the United States launched military strikes against Iranian targets following attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has blamed the Iranian armed forces for the maritime incidents.
According to US Central Command, the strikes were intended to impose "heavy costs" on Iran for targeting international commercial shipping and to deter further attacks in one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
(With inputs from ANI)
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