Islamic Republic uses everything in its power to protect territorial integrity: defense minister
Mohammad Reza Ashtiyani, the defense minister of Iran, said on Saturday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is keen to protect its territorial integrity and respect the territorial integrity of other countries.
“The Islamic Republic uses all means to defend the territorial integrity and dear people of our country. While we respect all our neighbors, their rights and their territorial integrity and help to preserve it, but we do not accept any threats against us from the countries that are neighboring to us,” Ashtiyani said in remarks to ILNA.
“First, we are trying to prevent something from happening by negotiating, talking and interacting with these countries, but if they cannot control it and there is a delay, then we have to react and we will take action ourselves and it doesn't matter which country it is,” he said, commenting on Iran’s recent strike against terrorist sides in Pakistan.
He noted, “This right of legitimate defense exists for us, and based on all international laws and international standards, any country attacked by terrorists can legitimately defend itself, and wherever we are threatened from any area, we can react.”