Exclusive; US Response to Amir-Abdollahian's Statements: Tehran Received Our Message Regarding the Death of Our Soldiers

A spokesperson for the US State Department on Saturday responded to the Persian section of Voice of America regarding the comments made by the Iranian Foreign Minister about the exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington, stating that our response to the deaths of our soldiers sends the clearest message, and the Iranian government has received this message. The spokesperson said, 'Our military response to the killing of three American soldiers by Iran-affiliated militia groups and our ongoing actions to reduce the capabilities of the Houthis, who pose a threat to international shipping, send the clearest message: that the United States will defend its personnel and interests.' He continued, 'When we are attacked, we respond decisively, and we will respond at a time and place of our choosing.' Hossein Amir-Abdollahian previously claimed on Saturday at a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, that 'in the past four months during the Gaza war, messages have been exchanged between Iran and the US, and one of the main points of these messages was mainly a request from us to ask Hezbollah not to take action in the Gaza war.' The US State Department spokesperson further wrote in response to the Persian section of Voice of America, 'Beyond that, our message to Iran, both publicly and privately, has been unique: stop your support for terrorist groups and militia proxies and your partners.' The spokesperson also referenced comments made by John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, on February 1, emphasizing that since the attack in which three of our soldiers were killed in Jordan, there has been no connection with Iran. President Joe Biden stated in the early days of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that a message had been sent to the Islamic Republic that the US does not seek to expand the scope of the war beyond Israel's right to self-defense and emphasized that the United States will defend its interests. The Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza and the militia group Hezbollah in Lebanon are supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States has designated both groups as terrorist organizations.