New Delhi [India], March 14 : The representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, on Saturday defended Iran's attacks on neighbouring Gulf countries amid the West Asia conflict, saying that the strikes are aimed at US-backed bases used against Tehran and are part of self-defence measures taken by the regime.
In an interview with ANI, Ilahi said Iran has been in the region for thousands of years and is compelled to act against attacks originating from foreign bases.
He added that the United States has established 33 to 45 military bases around Iran and that Tehran had asked its neighbours not to allow these bases to be used against Iran by the US, but attacks continued.
"We were living in this region for more than ten thousand, twenty thousand, one million years. We were in this region. When there wasn't even America yet, we were in this region. And you know America is far from Iran, more than six thousand miles--roughly seven thousand miles. It's far from Iran. Never can America attack us and target Iran from New York, Washington or California. America should use some bases near Iran. Where are these bases which America uses? Exactly. America established thirty-three, and yesterday I heard from some American senators, forty-five bases around Iran," the representative said.
"We said to our neighbours before the war that, please, they should not provide American bases, and these bases should not be used against Iran. And they informed us that they will not allow America to use it, and they assured us that they don't want this to happen. But unfortunately, it's happened," he added.
Ilahi further claimed that the missiles that struck the Primary Girls' School in Minab, which killed over 180 people, including schoolgirls, came from Bahrain.
Earlier, CNN, citing sources, reported that the US accidentally struck the school, relying on outdated data.
Responding to questions about civilian casualties, including Indian nationals in the conflict, Ilahi acknowledged the loss of innocent lives but said responsibility lies with those who initiated the war.
"Actually, the war is unfair. They initiated the war. I say to the people in the world: they are suffering. Why do the leaders of these countries criticise the war? It is better to ask the aggressors why they initiated it and caused people to suffer," he added.
The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other.
The conflict escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply.