Tehran, Karafarinane Eghtesad – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has reacted to comments by the E.U. foreign policy chief about the ongoing Israeli aggression on Iran and the Islamic Republic’s response, saying that de-escalation cannot happen without condemning the aggressor and its war crimes.

Kaja Kallas, the E.U. High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made the comments on her X account following a meeting of E.U. foreign ministers on Tuesday.

Kallas said the ministers “agree that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,” and “it is urgent to de-escalate the situation.” She also said the bloc “will play its part in diplomatic efforts.”

“Please stop acting as the aggressor's apologist,” Baqaei said in reaction to the European official, addressing her in a post he shared on X.

The spokesperson said that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful and under the most stringent inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. That is while, he added, the Israeli regime possesses nuclear weapons, blocking their elimination in the region.   

“How can you express concern over Iran's peaceful program that is under the most robust I.A.E.A.'s inspections and ignore the fact that Israeli regime has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons?! Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, unlike the aggressor that is the only barrier to a 'Middle East free from nuclear weapons' (that has long been advocated by Iran since 1974),” the spokesperson said.

“How can you talk about 'de-escalation' without condemning the aggressor and urging them to stop their aggression and war crimes?!” he concluded.

The Israeli regime began strikes inside Iranian territory overnight on June 13, killing civilians and assassinating top military officials in targeted attacks.

Baqaei on Tuesday toured a hospital in the capital, Tehran, where he visited some of the people injured in the Israeli attacks.

While being there, he said that women and children constitute most of the casualties caused in the past days.

“All these are war crimes and should be recorded,” he said, emphasizing that Israel, its allies, and all those trying to justify the regime’s aggression should be accountable.

He said that the international community should know that Israel has targeted residential areas, hospitals, and civilian centers since the start of its aggression against Iran.

“A hospital in Kermanshah, a firefighting station in Ilam, and Loqman Hakim Children’s Hospital [in Tehran] were among places attacked by the Zionist regime over the past several days,” Baqaei said.

He also said that Israel has conducted an unprovoked act of aggression against Iran, and if the United Nations and countries want to offer assistance, they should force the regime to stop its crimes. This is the demand of the Iranian nation, he added.

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