TEHRAN : Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that foreign military forces operating in close proximity to Iranian territory face an ongoing threat of harm, and called on them to leave the region.
“Foreign forces in proximity to Iranian territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Araghchi said, according to Reuters.
The top diplomat did not specify which foreign forces he was referring to, but Iran has consistently opposed the presence of U.S. military assets and other international forces in neighboring countries, including Iraq, Kuwait, and the Gulf states. Tehran has also previously criticized Israeli military activities in the region.
Araghchi’s remarks come amid heightened regional tensions, with ongoing conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups and Western military deployments in the Middle East. The Iranian foreign minister reiterated his government’s longstanding demand for external powers to pull back from Iran’s borders, warning that even non-intentional incidents could lead to escalation.
There was no immediate response from the United States or other nations with military presences in the region.
