Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Friday sharply rejected characterizations of the recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran as merely “an unnecessary war,” insisting the attack amounts to a clear act of military aggression in violation of the UN Charter.
Responding to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s recent remarks, Baghaei wrote on X that “the criminal nature of the American-Israeli aggression against Iran should not be reduced to merely an unnecessary war.” He added: “The UN Charter contains no concept of a necessary war that permits states to resort to force against a sovereign state simply based on the whims and desires of the aggressors.”
Mr. President,
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) May 22, 2026
It is true that the current crisis confronting our region and the world stems directly from the United States’ unlawful and capricious withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018;
It is also true that this imposed war could and should have been avoided;
However, the UN… pic.twitter.com/6nDUg01d9Q
Baghaei stressed that every state respecting the rule of law and the principles of the UN Charter must “explicitly condemn the US military aggression and demand that the aggressors be held accountable.”
Steinmeier had earlier described the US-Israeli action against Iran as “avoidable,” calling the war “unnecessary.”
In parallel diplomatic developments: A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that while no agreement has yet been reached between Washington and Tehran, the gaps have narrowed. Uranium enrichment and Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz remain key points of contention, the source said.
Source: Iranian media (edite dby Al-Manar)