TEHRAN- Iran has rejected allegations of involvement in Yemen’s decision-making and a recent attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, while reiterating that regional security arrangements should be shaped by the countries of the region rather than outside powers.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, speaking at his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, said Yemenis independently determine their country’s policies and stressed that Iran has no role in decisions taken by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement. He also called for equal maritime security for all countries, arguing that those who attack regional states cannot simultaneously claim to be guardians of maritime security.

Yemenis make their own decisions

Baqaei said developments in Yemen should be viewed against the backdrop of years of attacks and an “unjust siege” imposed on the country. He maintained that Ansarullah is an independent actor that makes decisions according to its own interests.

He also pointed to repeated US and Israeli attacks on Yemen and said the Yemeni people’s position on the Palestinian issue demonstrated their independent outlook and concern for the wider Muslim community.

At the same time, the Iranian spokesman warned that some actors were seeking to exploit divisions among Muslim countries to deepen regional disputes. He argued that maritime security and freedom of navigation must be guaranteed for all states rather than selectively invoked by outside powers.

Baqaei separately categorically rejected US allegations that Iran was involved in a recent attack launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline. He described the allegations as unfounded and said Washington was seeking to aggravate divisions among regional countries at a time of heightened tensions.

He again stressed that Iran has no role in decisions taken by Ansarullah, adding that Yemen’s recent developments should be understood in the context of years of conflict, blockade and repeated US and Israeli strikes.

Tehran and Muscat finalize understanding on maritime routes

The Iranian spokesman also disclosed that Iran and Oman have finalized an understanding concerning maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz, while consultations continue over how the arrangement will be formally announced.

Baqaei said a planned meeting of regional foreign ministers in Oman was canceled at Saudi Arabia’s request. The meeting had been intended to provide an opportunity for Iran and Oman to present their understanding of maritime routes and discuss the rights and sovereignty of coastal states.

He emphasized that the Iran-Oman initiative was designed to create an opportunity for regional countries to discuss the establishment of a secure regional environment without intervention by outside actors. He rejected suggestions that Tehran’s approach was driven by short-term fluctuations in oil prices, stressing that foreign-policy and national-security decisions cannot be reduced to a single economic factor.

According to Baqaei, the agreement between the two coastal states has now been finalized. Tehran and Muscat will consult on the next steps, including how the understanding should be announced or registered.

He also criticized US claims concerning maritime security, referring to a recent attack on an Iranian vessel near Hengam Island that killed Iranian national Jamshid Rajabi and wounded several others, including two Pakistani nationals working aboard the vessel. Baqaei argued that such incidents contradicted Washington’s stated concerns about maritime safety.

Iran's nuclear policy remains unchanged

Baqaei also rejected speculation that Iran has altered its nuclear doctrine or is considering withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

He said Iran’s nuclear policy remains clear and argued that discussion of nuclear deterrence is a natural consequence of repeated attacks and acts of sabotage against Iranian nuclear facilities.

He questioned why countries should be surprised by such discussions when the NPT’s objectives of preventing proliferation and advancing disarmament have not been fully achieved.

The spokesman said Iran’s nuclear facilities had been subjected to dozens of acts of sabotage despite operating under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision, while Tehran had continued to meet its safeguards obligations. Against this backdrop, he said discussions by Iranian lawmakers and other officials about deterrence should not be considered unusual.

Baqaei also linked the issue to security in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that matters concerning Iran and Oman primarily concern the two coastal states. He argued that insecurity in the strategic waterway is a consequence of US actions in the region.

US must end sanctions and intervention

Addressing Iran-US relations, Baqaei said Washington must end 'illegal and interventionist measures' against the Islamic Republic.

He said Iran and the United States had reached an understanding on June 17 at the highest level but Washington violated the agreement 21 days later and resumed or intensified 'unlawful and aggressive actions,' including a naval blockade and economic warfare.

According to Baqaei, the steps required from Washington are straightforward: halt its interventionist measures, compensate for 'crimes committed against Iran,' and end sanctions and economic warfare. He warned that if the United States continued its actions, Iran would maintain the measures it considers necessary in response.

Ties with Turkey and China

Baqaei said Iran’s relationship with Turkey extends well beyond Ankara’s role in facilitating communications between Tehran and Washington. He described the two neighboring countries as partners with broad common interests and longstanding ties.

He said Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers remain in regular contact and pointed to shared concerns over the Israeli regime’s expansionism and its activities across the region. Regarding reports of restrictions on bilateral trade, Baqaei said the issue was under discussion and warned against 'media campaigns' intended to magnify the effects of US sanctions.

The spokesman also welcomed China’s position on regional security, describing Beijing’s role as constructive and its latest remarks at the BRICS summit as valuable. He said Iran welcomed Chinese efforts to promote regional stability but stressed that Tehran’s dispute with Washington was not primarily a question of mediation.

“The problem is not the lack of mediators,” Baqaei said in substance, arguing that the central issue was 'Washington’s lack of genuine willingness and good faith to pursue diplomacy.'

BRICS and SCO platforms against unilateralism

Baqaei said members of the BRICS grouping and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were using multilateral platforms to oppose 'US unilateralism' and to develop practical responses to its consequences.

He rejected the idea that Iran could be isolated, arguing that countries were increasingly using international and regional institutions to voice opposition to unilateral measures and to seek alternatives to policies imposed by dominant powers.

According to Baqaei, the US attack on Iran and its partnership with a “genocidal regime” had undermined Washington’s credibility and contributed to growing international concern over the erosion of norms underpinning global peace and security. He added that even some traditional US allies in Canada and Europe had begun recognizing the need to contain 'Washington’s belligerent unilateralism.'

Civilian casualties in Lamerd

At the beginning of his press conference, Baqaei spoke about his recent visit to Lamerd in southern Iran, which he said was targeted at the beginning of the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran on February 28.

He said the destruction and human toll he witnessed were considerably more severe than what had been conveyed through media reports. According to Baqaei, four missiles weighing about 500 kilograms each and carrying thousands of pellets were detonated over the city, including near a stadium, residential areas, a blood-transfusion center and an educational facility.

He said 21 people, including an Afghan national, were killed and described the attacks as a war crime.