By Atoyebi Nike
Iran on Tuesday accused the Group of Seven (G7) nations of taking sides with Israel, following the bloc’s joint call for “de-escalation” in the ongoing military conflict between the two nations.
In a strongly worded statement, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei criticized the G7 for what he described as “one-sided rhetoric,” insisting the blame for the five-day-old conflict lies squarely with Israel.
“The G7 must give up its one-sided rhetoric and tackle the real source of the escalation Israel’s aggression,” Baqaei said during a press briefing.
He claimed that Israel had “launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran” in violation of the United Nations Charter, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and widespread destruction of public and private infrastructure.
“Iran is defending itself against a cruel aggression. Does Iran really have any other choice?” Baqaei added, reinforcing Tehran’s stance that its military actions are retaliatory.
The remarks came a day after G7 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, convened in Canada, where they issued a joint communique calling for a halt to hostilities. While the G7 statement emphasized the need for “peace and stability” in the Middle East, it also declared:
“Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel. Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.”
The G7 leaders also reaffirmed their opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and stressed that any resolution to the crisis should be part of a broader de-escalation strategy across the Middle East.
The latest exchange adds to already rising tensions in the region, as international observers warn of potential spillover effects from the growing conflict between Iran and Israel, both of whom accuse each other of sparking the violence.
