Iran Calls G7 Criticism of Missile Attack on Israel 'Biased'

Iran's Foreign Ministry described the condemnation of the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Israel by the leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations as 'biased' and 'irresponsible.' Ismail Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, reacted to the G7 statement by stating that the missile attack on Israeli territory was a 'necessary response' and 'within the framework of the inherent right to self-defense.' He then identified 'irresponsible interventions by some extra-regional actors, including the United States,' as the 'factor of instability' in the region. This comes as Western and regional countries have frequently labeled the Islamic Republic's regional policies as a source of instability. The spokesperson further urged G7 countries to use their 'leverage' to end the war in Gaza and Israeli operations in Lebanon and Syria. The G7 leaders, consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, condemned Iran's actions in a statement expressing 'serious concern' about the Middle East crisis following the missile attack. Their statement indicated that the escalation of tensions in the region is not beneficial for 'anyone' and that a 'viable diplomatic solution' remains possible. The G7 foreign ministers, earlier in September and amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, also issued a statement urging Iran to cooperate in reducing regional tensions or face the reaction of these industrialized nations. This statement, issued on Tuesday, October 3, following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in New York, expressed deep concern over the intensification of conflicts in Gaza on one side and between Hezbollah and Israel on the other, adding that these conditions could embroil the entire Middle East in a widespread war with unimaginable consequences. Iran's attack on Israel has faced condemnation from most countries worldwide. A few days after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah Lebanon, which is one of the Islamic Republic's proxy groups in the region, and Abbas Nilforushan, a senior figure in the Quds Force during the Israeli attack on Hezbollah commanders' headquarters in southern Beirut, Iran announced it attacked Israel in retaliation for the deaths of these two individuals and Ismail Haniyeh, the former political bureau chief of Hamas who was assassinated in Iran. In this attack, between 180 to 200 ballistic missiles were fired at various locations in Israel, and Iranian military officials claimed that most of them hit their targets. Israel has denied this claim.