Iran slams G7 statement on nuclear program, support of militant groups
Iran rejected the latest G7 statement that criticized Tehran's ongoing nuclear activities and support of regional militant groups.
Iran rejected the latest G7 statement that criticized Tehran's ongoing nuclear activities and support of regional militant groups.
“The G7 members unequivocally condemned Iran’s destabilizing actions, including its rapid advancement of uranium enrichment without credible civil justification, its facilitation of terrorism organizations and armed groups across the Middle East and Red Sea, its proliferation of ballistic missiles and drones, and its transnational repression and violation of fundamental human rights,” read the statement issued on Saturday.
The G7 ministers held a meeting on the sideline of the Munich Security Conference.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday and during his weekly briefing rejected the statement as politically motivated, arguing that Western powers themselves were responsible for fueling instability.
“The return of stability and security to West Asia requires these countries to stop their interventionist policies in regional affairs,” he said, referring to the United States, Canada, and three European members of the G7.
Iran pushes back on military, nuclear criticism
In response to criticism concerning the military capabilities of Iran, Baghaei said that Iran’s defense facilities follow all prevailing international laws.
“Iran’s military and defense advancements are necessary for national security and contribute to stability in West Asia,” he added.
Over the nuclear issue he dismissed concerns raised over enrichment of uranium as being politically driven.
“Our peaceful nuclear activities are fully in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and international safeguards,” he said, adding that Iran would continue its program based on its technical and industrial needs.
Baghaei accused the G7 of ignoring Israel’s nuclear capabilities. “The biggest obstacle to a nuclear-free Middle East is the Zionist regime, which has stockpiled weapons of mass destruction while enjoying full support from the same G7 countries,” he said.
Diplomatic outreach continues despite tensions
Despite Western pressure, Baghaei highlighted Iran’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, pointing to high-level meetings in Oman by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “These engagements are part of a broader strategy to enhance economic and political cooperation,” he noted.
On restrictions faced by Iranian flights to Beirut, he said discussions are underway with Lebanese officials. “We will not allow external forces to disrupt the strong historical ties between Iran and Lebanon,” he said.
Last week two flights from Tehran were banned from landing in Lebanon's only international airport.
On Friday, the second flight banned from taking off from Iran triggered protests in Lebanon from supporters of the Iran-backed group who blocked the road to the airport. The Lebanese army fired tear gas at protesters.
Responding to Israeli threats, Hezbollah funeral plans
Baghaei also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent comments on a possible attack on Iran.
“Such statements are a blatant violation of international law, and those who issue these threats should be held accountable,” he said.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his intention on Sunday "to finish the job against Iran" with the support of US President Donald Trump.
Regarding Iran’s involvement in the funeral of the assassinated Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel last year, Baghaei said Tehran will be participating at a high level.
The protests began Friday evening at Tehran University’s campus after Amir-Mohammad Khaleghi, an undergraduate business management student, was fatally stabbed by two men who stole his laptop just outside the campus.
On Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of students gathered again at Tehran University and Tarbiat Modares University to protest. They submitted a list of demands to authorities, warning of further demonstrations if their concerns—including the removal of “plainclothes forces” from university campuses—were not addressed.
Students accuse authorities of neglecting their safety amid a rise in robberies near campus in recent years. Meanwhile, they criticize officials for prioritizing the surveillance of student activists and suppressing dissent instead of addressing security concerns.
During Friday’s peaceful protest, four students were arrested, and a female student was injured by one of the unidentified agents who stormed the campus. The detained students were later released.
The presidential administration took an unusually conciliatory approach, a departure from the Iranian government’s typical response. Rather than escalating force against the students, officials appeared willing to defuse tensions. This tactic can be related to current public anger at the deteriorating economic situation and the danger of widespread protests.
University official Hossein Hosseini met with the protesters and blamed the violence on vigilantes and plainclothes security agents who entered the campus without authorization.
Higher Education Minister Hossein Simaei Sarraf cut short an official visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to Iran after Friday’s protests. He later apologized to the students and pledged decisive action against unauthorized interference in university affairs.
“Certain individuals and groups are more focused on creating turmoil rather than resolving crises. These irresponsible actions, whose instigators and masterminds remain unknown, have placed a significant burden on the country,” Deputy Higher Education Minister Gholamreza Zarifian told the reformist Etemad Online, referring to the unrest triggered by Friday’s violence against students.
A law passed by Parliament in 2000, during the presidency of reformist Mohammad Khatami, prohibits police and other security forces from entering higher education institutions except under “extraordinary circumstances” and only with the university dean’s request and the Higher Education Minister’s approval.
This legislation followed the 1999 student protests, which began on July 7 at Tehran University. Students had initially gathered peacefully outside their dormitories to protest the closure of Salam, a reformist newspaper. Some later moved their protest outside the campus before returning to their dormitories without any incidents.
That night, riot police, the Revolutionary Guards’ Basij militia, and vigilante groups raided the student dormitories, attacking sleeping students indiscriminately. They destroyed rooms and personal belongings, and in a tragic incident, one student was thrown to his death from an upper floor. A similarly violent raid occurred at Tabriz University dormitories two days later.
Known as the Kuy-e Daneshgah Disaster, these events sparked days of protests and unrest in Tehran and other major cities. Demonstrators marched toward Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office in Tehran, chanting slogans against him.
Security forces responded with a brutal crackdown, killing at least three people, injuring over 200, and arresting hundreds more. Many detainees spent years in prison as a result of the protests.
The 1999 university unrest set a precedent for future anti-government protests in 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022. This history may partly explain the Iranian authorities' apparent reluctance to use force against university students.