Astaneh-ye ashrafiyeh: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated that the Iranian nation is resolute in facing any external threats and coercion. Baqaei conveyed these sentiments during a memorial in Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh, a town in the northern Province of Gilan, where five citizens were laid to rest following an Israeli airstrike.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Baqaei honored the martyred civilians, which included women, children, and elderly individuals, and labeled the attack as a shocking act of cruelty and a blatant war crime. He stressed that such actions are indefensible under any international legal or moral standards.

Baqaei affirmed the Iranian people’s resolve to resist any form of bullying or threat. He also condemned the assassination of Iranian scientists, describing these acts as cowardly and indicative of the desperation of those attempting to disrupt Iran’s scientific progress.

The military tensions escalated on June 13 when the Israeli regime initiated airstrikes on Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and resulting in the deaths of hundreds of scientists, military personnel, and civilians. The United States joined the attacks on June 22, targeting nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.