MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Iran does not want war with the Persian Gulf countries, but is forced to defend itself because American military facilities are stationed there, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali told the RBC television channel.

"Our Supreme Leader stated that if they start a war, it will be a regional war. But we have no intention of starting a war with regional countries. We don’t want to fight with anyone," the ambassador said.

Jalali noted that in its contacts with the Gulf countries, Tehran explains that the only reason for attacking them is the presence of American military bases there. "Only after the Americans withdraw from these military bases, and these military bases are completely dismantled, will we stop striking these targets. We cannot remain indifferent and sit by idly while they strike our territory from these American military bases," the diplomat explained.

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. At the same time, US leadership openly called on the Iranian population to rise up against their government and seize power. As a result of the strikes, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other senior figures in the leadership of the Islamic Republic were killed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also hit.