Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly rejected Jordan’s characterization of Tehran’s military response to American aggression, questioning how long the Islamic Republic was expected to delay its defensive operations after US strikes violated both Iranian and Arab sovereignty.
The diplomatic exchange unfolded after Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused Iran of launching attacks on Jordan and other regional countries merely two hours into the US military campaign against Iran, describing Tehran’s response as a “premeditated policy.”
In an Arabic-language post on X on Friday, Araghchi directly challenged his Jordanian counterpart: “How much time does the Jordanian Foreign Minister believe Iran should wait before responding to an aggressor that respects neither Arab sovereignty nor Iranian sovereignty?”
كم من الوقت يرى وزير الخارجية الأردني أنه يتعين على إيران أن تنتظر قبل أن تردّ على معتدٍ لا يحترم سيادة العرب ولا سيادة إيران؟
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) September 4, 2026
وهل هو حقًا غير مدرك أن المجال الجوي والأراضي والمياه العربية استُخدمت في الهجمات الأمريكية الأولى التي أسفرت عن مقتل إيرانيين أبرياء؟ pic.twitter.com/joI7qMsMOS
The Iranian foreign minister further pressed Safadi on regional complicity in the initial American strikes, asking: “Is he truly unaware that Arab airspace, lands, and waters were used in the initial American attacks that resulted in the killing of innocent Iranians?”
Deadly US Strikes Preceded Iranian Response
The exchange follows a series of US strikes on southern Iran on September 1 that left dozens of civilians dead and wounded. In Hormozgan province, American missiles struck a residential building in Kouhestak, Sirik County, where a wedding celebration was underway.
At least five people were martyred and 68 wounded in that attack, with the victims including two children aged four and 16, along with two women. Seven additional people were killed and eight wounded in US missile strikes on three locations near the cities of Ahvaz and Aghajari in Khuzestan province.
Iran’s “Crushing” Retaliation
In response, Iranian armed forces launched what officials described as a “crushing” operation against US military bases across Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) specifically confirmed it had targeted Camp Titin in Jordan, where a significant number of US personnel were reportedly killed.
Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, issued a stark warning that any continuation of US military action against Iran would trigger “heavier, broader and more devastating responses.”
“Any country that cooperates with the invading US military must be prepared to face the dangerous consequences,” Zolfaqari added, underscoring Tehran’s determination to hold regional partners of Washington accountable for facilitating attacks on Iranian soil.
The escalating rhetoric between regional powers highlights the growing complexity of the conflict, as Iran maintains its right to self-defense while Arab nations grapple with their roles in the broader US-Iran confrontation.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)