TEHRAN, Feb 28 (KUNA) -- Iran strongly condemned Saturday the military strikes carried out by the United States and Israeli occupation on its territory, describing them as a "violation" of the UN Charter and an "explicit armed aggression." In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran said the attacks targeted "a series of defensive infrastructure and civilian sites across multiple Iranian cities." The ministry emphasized that the strikes represent a "flagrant violation of Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty," occurring at a time when Iran and the US were engaged in ongoing diplomatic efforts. Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that the US military had launched major combat operations in Iran, stating the goal was to "protect the American people by eliminating imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime." Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel conducted a "preemptive" strike against Iran at dawn, declaring a state of emergency across Israeli-held territories.
The attacks follow a third round of US-Iranian talks held in Geneva on Thursday, mediated by Oman, as part of ongoing efforts to bridge differences between Tehran and Washington after earlier meetings in Muscat and Geneva earlier this month. (end) maa.aa