Iran does not plan to abandon uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes, continuing to comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and other countries have no right to restrict Tehran in this regard, said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi.

Iran is a bona fide party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, on that basis it enriches uranium for peaceful purposes, for the benefit of the country, and no one can tell Iran what to do as long as it fulfills its obligations under the treaty, Takht-Ravanchi said on German ARD television.

He added, however, that he was not going to comment on the state of Iran's nuclear program after the strikes by the US air force on early Sunday morning.

But the Iranian deputy FM stressed that the bombing itself was a clear act of aggression. Iran, Takht-Ravanchi noted, was a victim of aggression in this situation and had the right to respond to it in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The Iranian diplomat, however, did not comment on the possibility of Iran striking American bases in the Middle East.

Separately, the Iranian official slammed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who supported Israel’s action against Iran, and said that the Jewish state, with its actions, was doing the “dirty work” for all Western countries. Takht-Ravanchi called on Berlin to “stand with the victim, not the aggressor.”