Mohammad Sio
17 March 2026•Update: 17 March 2026
ISTANBUL
The foreign ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan discussed regional developments and bilateral ties in a phone call on Tuesday, as US-Israeli attacks continued against Tehran amid Iranian retaliatory strikes.
During the call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov reviewed the latest developments in the region and exchanged views on the ongoing tensions, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Araghchi outlined Iran’s position regarding “the military aggression” by the US and Israel, stressing that under international law, “no country should allow its territory or facilities to be used for acts of aggression against others.”
He also warned against the US and Israeli “disinformation campaigns aimed at damaging Iran’s relations with other countries,” adding that Iran’s defensive measures “target only those responsible for attacks and the facilities used to carry them out.”
The two sides also discussed bilateral issues and emphasized the importance of maintaining close consultations to resolve any misunderstandings in the current situation.
On Saturday, Araghchi claimed in an interview with MS Now TV that the US attacks on Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island on Friday were launched “from the soil of our neighbors.”
“These last night attacks were tracked by our forces, and now it is clear that they were fired from the UAE. This is unacceptable," he said.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington destroyed all military targets on Kharg Island and threatened to attack the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continued to block ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Kharg Island is Iran’s main oil export hub, handling 90% - 95% of the country’s crude exports, with 1.7 million barrels per day last year. The island serves as a key component of Iran’s energy system and a vital source of government revenue.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since March 1, following the launch of joint attacks by Israel and the US against Iran on Feb. 28, which have so far killed around 1,300 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hostilities have since escalated.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting “US military assets.”
