TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that attacks on U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf littoral states fall under the category of “legitimate defense.” 

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, amid the aftermath of a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation launched on February 28. 

Iranian officials say more than 1,300 people have been killed and nearly 10,000 civilian infrastructures have been destroyed in the assault, which also led to the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, along with several senior commanders.

Iran has retaliated by striking Israeli military and strategic sites in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and other locations, while also targeting U.S. military bases in Persian Gulf countries that have been used to launch attacks on Iranian territory.

President Pezeshkian said Iran had been “seriously engaged in negotiations” when it was attacked for the second time by the United States and Israel.

He described the assault as a “criminal aggression” that resulted not only in the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei but also in the killing of civilians, including schoolchildren. Pezeshkian condemned the use of neighboring countries’ airspace to strike public infrastructure, hospitals, and schools. He cited a particularly deadly attack on a school in the southern city of Minab, where 168 students were killed by a U.S. missile. 

Reaffirming Iran’s defensive doctrine, he said the Islamic Republic has “no intention of targeting or engaging in conflict with regional countries”, emphasizing that only bases used to launch attacks on Iran would be struck “within the framework of the right to legitimate defense.”

He warned that if the international community fails to address the root causes of the conflict, global security and stability could face serious consequences.

For his part, Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s “principled position” in condemning the U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran. He expressed deep solidarity with the Iranian government and people and extended condolences over the death of Ayatollah Khamenei.

Sharif also congratulated Iran on the selection of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Republic, expressing hope that Iran would experience further progress under his leadership.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Tehran and Islamabad and continuing high-level diplomatic consultations. Sharif voiced interest in expanding cooperation among Muslim countries in the region.