Iran has defended its missile strike on the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, describing it as a lawful act of self-defence under international law.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday that the attack was a direct response to the “unprovoked aggression” by the United States, which bombed three of Iran’s nuclear facilities on Sunday.
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Baghaei invoked Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which permits member states to exercise the right to self-defence in the event of an armed attack.
He emphasized that Iran remains committed to peaceful relations with its regional neighbours, but accused the US of deliberately trying to sow discord in the Middle East.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran values regional cooperation and stability, but will not hesitate to defend its sovereignty against any form of aggression,” Baghaei wrote.
The missile strike on Al Udeid—the largest US military base in the Middle East—marked a dramatic escalation in tensions following the recent US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, and comes amid heightened fears of a wider regional conflict.
