Iran envoy: US-Israel attacks target resources

The Israel-US military actions against Iran are not aimed at preventing the country from acquiring nuclear weapons but at controlling its resources, Iran’s ambassador to Kenya, Ali Gholampour, has said.

Western powers, he said, have long sought to instigate regime change in Iran to gain access to its resources.

“They argue that we are attacking Iran for liberal democracy or bringing liberty to the people. It’s absolutely wrong. It is a pretext,” Gholampour said.

Speaking during a morning radio talk on Capital FM on Thursday, the envoy described the ongoing conflict as part of a long-standing effort by Western powers to weaken the Islamic Republic.

He said this is intended to reassert influence over Iran’s resources and strategic location, rather than to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons as claimed.

Iran is not listed among countries known to possess nuclear weapons, such as Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan, India, Israel, the US, France, and the United Kingdom, but Israel and the US accuse Tehran of enriching uranium to levels that could produce them.

“Even when they claim they are acting to prevent nuclear threats, it is a false narrative, because the United States and Israel are the two nuclear powers,” Gholampour explained.

The ambassador said Western powers have never reconciled with the 1979 Iranian revolution, which saw the ouster of the US-backed monarchy.

“What we are seeing today did not start now,” he said, adding that the current military escalation is part of this broader strategy. 

The war in Iran, now in its 13th day, has disrupted activities across the Middle East after Tehran carried out missile attacks on several Gulf States targeting Israel-US interests.

Tehran maintains that the attacks in neighbouring states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and Oman, are legitimate and comply with international law because the bases were used to attack Iran.

“Legally speaking, based on international law, rules and principles, when you are attacked from a military base in another country, it is considered the territory of the country using it, not the host country,” Gholampour said.

“Imagine neighbouring countries in Africa had military bases surrounding you, and attacks were launched from there. You would respond to defend your people and territory,” he added.

The envoy accused the US and Israel of indiscriminate strikes inside Iran, including on civilian infrastructure, but said Tehran remains open to negotiations once the attacks stop.

“The United States and Israel should be blamed for this situation. As long as their aggression continues, there will be no other way for us to defend our dignity, territorial integrity, and existence; it is an existential threat to Iran and its people,” he said.

Gholampour called on African countries to pressure the US and Israel to end the war, which he said threatens the world economy as oil prices are expected to rise sharply.

“The African Union can take collective action and have a strong voice. It should tell those attacking Iran: stop the war and come to the negotiation table,” he said, adding that he had previously encouraged President William Ruto to support diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation.