Iran Def. Min. Insists IRGC’s Attacks In Iraq, Pakistan Legal

Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani cited international law on Saturday to justify IRGC’s recent missile strikes on targets in Iraq and Pakistan.

Under all international laws, any country attacked by terrorists can defend itself legitimately, Ashtiani said, adding that “we can respond to threats from any country, anywhere.”

He claimed that the Islamic Republic had informed neighboring countries about anti-Iran threats before the recent IRGC attacks. If we see that our neighbors do not act to contain the threats, we will use our “legitimate right” and carry out operations, Ashtiani warned.

He stressed that despite the IRGC’s attacks, Iran respects all its neighbors and recognizes their territorial integrity.

On January 15 and 16, the IRGC attacked several positions in Iraq’ Kurdistan region, Syria and Pakistan in what it called was an attempt to target terrorists and Israeli agents. Pakistan retaliated by attacking locations in southeastern Iran early Thursday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has also defended the attacks, saying they were carried out “in line with combating terrorism and legitimate self-defense.”

“We have no reservations when it comes to securing our national interest with any other country,” he warned.

IRGC missiles hit a civilian house in Erbil belonging to Peshraw Dizayee, killing him and 4 members of his family. Dizayee was a business mogul and head of Falcon Investment Group. Following the raid, IRNA, the Iranian state news agency, accused Dizayee of collaborating with Israel.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Erbil Chamber of Commerce urged citizens and business owners in Iraq’ Kurdistan to boycott Iranian goods in protest to the Islamic Republic’s missile attack.