Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed on Monday claims from the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries that Tehran was destabilizing the region, calling the allegations "irresponsible and baseless."
Baghaei noted that Iran has "both the legitimate right and a legal obligation to defend its people, territorial integrity, and sovereignty against any threats or aggression," adding that the country's development of military capabilities is done according to international law. He also underlined that Tehran's nuclear program aims to support the country's technical and industrial needs and is in line with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The G7 members previously accused Iran of "destabilizing actions," such as "rapid advancement" of uranium enrichment and facilitation of terrorist organizations, while United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the country the "single greatest source of instability" in the Middle East.
