ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran warned on Friday that it could respond if neighboring countries allow Israeli military aircraft to use their airspace for operations against the Islamic Republic, saying such movements constitute a direct threat to its national security.
In a statement, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said it viewed "the movements and presence of the Zionist regime's terrorist army's military aircraft in the airspace of certain neighboring countries heading toward Iran" as "a dangerous act and a threat against the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The military headquarters also warned that Tehran would hold firm if such actions continue.
"We declare that if the United States is unable to restrain and control the Zionist regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not tolerate any threat against itself and reserves the right to respond to these dangerous actions," the statement said.
The warning comes as Washington and Tehran pursue diplomatic efforts aimed at ending months of conflict following a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire reached in April.
The first high-level talks between the United States and Iran concluded in Switzerland on Sunday, with Qatari and Pakistani mediators describing the discussions as having made "encouraging progress."
The parties agreed on a roadmap toward a final agreement within 60 days and launched technical negotiations on issues including Iran's nuclear program, sanctions, monitoring and dispute resolution.
The negotiations are being led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf under a preliminary agreement reached last week.
Despite the diplomatic progress, tensions remain high. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei voiced skepticism on Wednesday over Washington's commitment to the newly signed memorandum, saying the US "has never shown sincerity in its conduct toward the Iranian nation."
He said Iran entered the diplomatic process "in good faith" despite longstanding distrust and would continue to act cautiously in light of past experiences.
Baghaei added that "the contradictory statements made by US officials regarding the MOU to end the imposed war will not help reduce the deep-seated Iranian mistrust" and urged Washington to adhere to the principle of "commitment for commitment," saying both sides must fulfill their obligations and avoid interpretations that contradict the memorandum's explicit text.
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