Iran condemns US-Israel strikes, vows to defend sovereignty: FM spokesman

China

Iran condemns US-Israel strikes, vows to defend sovereignty: FM spokesman

2026-03-11 11:20 Last Updated At：20:57

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday strongly condemned recent military strikes by the United States and Israel, saying it is an attempt to control global energy resources and reiterating that Iran is determined to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity.

During an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in the capital city of Tehran, Baghaei described the military acts launched by the two countries against Iran while talks were still underway as a "premeditated act of bullying" which demonstrated the U.S.' lack of sincerity in diplomacy.

Moreover, the attacks targeted Iranian oil facilities, causing toxic smoke and environmental damage, said the spokesman.

"I think this is the manifestation of an organized bullying at its finest. The way they see this war is not only a war against Iran, but also a war to control energy resources of the whole world in order to play their ultimate game with what they see as their adversaries. It means that they do not have any seriousness, any honesty in diplomatic process. Right now, Iran is 100 percent focused on defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity and its dignity. So I think the United States really must be held accountable for breaching international peace and security, for exercising bullying in such a very devastating manner," he said.

Regarding Iran's relations with regional Arab countries, Baghaei pointed out that Iran has always placed great importance on friendly ties with Arab nations in the region. Iran regrets that the United States used the territories of Arab countries to launch attacks on Iran during the war. Iran has made it clear that it will only target the military bases, assets, and facilities that the United States uses to strike Iran, he added.

In response to the current developments and the willingness of all parties for a ceasefire, Baghaei said that Iran does not welcome war and will not initiate one. However, Iran has learned sufficient lessons from the "12-Day War" in June 2025 that ended with U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and the current conflict, and will go all out to resist the brutal aggression of the United States and Israel, he noted.

"You saw they targeted oil reserves and they just sent smokes into the air. That smoke was poisonous and we had this poisonous rain. And everyone understands that this is a sort of ecocide. This is a crime against environment. This is an imposed war by the two bullies of the world. We have got our lessons, we have learned our lessons from the past experiences. And Iran could not afford to let them start the war whenever they want, to finish it whenever they want and then re-start it again. That would not be acceptable to Iranians. We have paid a high price for that. So I'm sure that these two experiences, these two very bad experiences, would be borne in mind in the future," said the spokesman.

Serbian agriculture minister reports record export growth to China

Serbia's Agriculture Minister Dragan Glamocic hailed the surge in exports to China following the launch of a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) in recent years, calling the pact a strategic relationship of mutual vision and voicing optimism for deeper bilateral cooperation.

The FTA between China and Serbia, signed in October 2023 and implemented on July 1, 2024, eliminates tariffs on roughly 90 percent of bilateral trade. More than 60 percent of goods became duty-free immediately upon its entry into force, marking a decisive step in deepening economic ties.

He said the agreement has reshaped Serbia’s trade profile, fueling a 69-percent jump in agricultural exports while accelerating imports of Chinese technologies and farm mechanization.

"The relationship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia, I would describe as a long-term, strategic relationship of mutual political and clear economic vision.The Free Trade Agreement between our countries was signed in 2023. It was introduced in 2024. As a result, our trade exchange has greatly improved, especially in the field of agriculture. We can say from that moment our exports to China grew for 69 percent. We have also made easier the import of certain things, such as mechanization and digital technologies, from the People's Republic of China to Serbia," said Glamocic.

"Our traditional products, such as wine, our domestic brandy, our honey, dried plums, frozen raspberries, similarly, imports of modern technologies from China are increasing, mechanization also, which really improves our agriculture business in Serbia. So I am an optimist that it will get better and better every day," he added.

The minister spoke highly of Serbia's partnership with China and voiced hope for broader cooperation in the future.

"What I would expect from China is that we sometimes try to speed up these procedures as much as possible. It is especially an honor for us when such a small country has such a status in the People's Republic of China. We were the first country to sign this type of strategic document in Europe, and we have reached the highest possible level among the two countries," he said.