DOHA, February 28. /TASS/. Iran is holding intensive consultations with Middle Eastern countries to prevent the complete collapse of the regional security system, Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Ghanbari said.
"Intensive contacts are being held with regional countries to prevent the collapse of regional security," the Al Jazeera TV channel quoted the diplomat as saying. He emphasized that Iran seeks a political settlement to all issues but believes that Washington has "fallen into Israel's trap." Ghanbari noted that, in order to begin a political process, the US must commit to "ending hostilities and providing security guarantees" to Iran before discussing a political solution.
The US and Israel have launched a military operation against Iran. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, have been hit. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces) announced a large-scale retaliatory operation. There were reports of missiles and drones being launched from Iran. According to the Tasnim news agency, US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also targeted.