Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran will persist with military strikes on sites accused of facilitating attacks on Iran, following the Islamic Revolutionary Guards' (IRGC) missile attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain. Araghchi emphasized that the Iranian Armed Forces are executing self-defense measures against locations reportedly utilized by the US for aggressive actions against Iran, particularly targeting civilian shipping and violating the ceasefire.

According to Anadolu Agency, Araghchi communicated through a post on X, stating, "Any hostile act will be met with an immediate, decisive response. What sanctions and war failed to achieve won't be won with more war." His comments were a direct response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who commended the collaboration of Washington's allies in the region, notably highlighting the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for their aggressive cooperation.

Tensions in the region have been on the rise since late February, following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 individuals, including the then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military and governmental figures. In retaliation, Tehran has targeted Israel and Gulf nations hosting US military bases and has closed the vital Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.

Efforts to de-escalate the situation began with a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8, although negotiations for a broader agreement are ongoing. The IRGC stated on Wednesday that it specifically targeted a US base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, in response to a US attack on its communications tower on Qeshm Island.