Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that countries that take part in U.S. military actions against Iran or help carry out strikes on the republic could become “legitimate targets” for the Iranian armed forces.

Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Araghchi said that Tehran reserves the right to take measures in self-defense and will assign international responsibility to the parties involved in the “aggression against Iran.”

The head of Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on SCO countries to support diplomacy and advocate respect for the sovereignty of states.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. After a temporary ceasefire agreement, Washington resumed strikes on Iran in July, alleging that Tehran had violated agreements regarding shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz.