Iran vows to continue fighting as Israel hits oil refineries in Tehran
TEHRAN: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that his country will not agree to a ceasefire in the Middle East, saying Tehran must “continue fighting for the sake of our people.”
He accused the US and Israel of targeting civilians, including students and hospitals, and said previous ceasefires, including the one ending last year’s 12-day conflict, had already been violated.
“There needs to be a permanent end to the war,” Araghchi said. “Unless we get to that, I think we need to continue fighting for the sake of our people and our security.”
On the matter of Russian involvement, Araghchi acknowledged a longstanding “cooperation between Iran and Russia,” without confirming reports that Moscow is providing intelligence on US military positions in the region. Four sources told NBC News that Russia has been sharing information that could help Iran locate American forces.
Araghchi also addressed regional attacks, saying Iran has not intentionally targeted neighbouring Gulf countries but has struck American bases and installations located within their territories. He added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had apologised to regional populations for “inconveniences” caused by these retaliatory operations.
Regarding US claims about Iran’s missile capabilities, Araghchi refuted assertions that Tehran posed a direct threat to the US, saying Iran has intentionally limited its missiles to a range below 2,000 kilometres.
On leadership changes, Araghchi confirmed that Iran’s Assembly of Experts has chosen a new supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but he offered no details on the successor. He emphasised that Iran will not allow outside interference in selecting its new leader, affirming that it remains a domestic decision.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military struck several Iranian fuel sites late on Saturday, sending huge balls of fire and smoke into the air and rocking Tehran and the neighboring city of Karaj with explosions.
The attacks, seen in videos circulating on social media and verified by The New York Times, appeared to be the first on Iran’s energy infrastructure since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran last weekend.
Iran’s Ministry of Oil said in a statement that multiple oil storage depots in the provinces of Tehran and Alborz had been targeted.
The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that it struck several Iranian fuel sites late on Saturday, sending huge balls of fire and smoke into the air and rocking Tehran and the neighboring city of Karaj with explosions. Monitoring Desk
