WNAM REPORT: Referring to IAEA Chief Grossi’s nuclear claims against Iran, a spokesman for Iranian Foreign Ministry said they speak as if a secret and confidential case has been discovered while, in fact, “we are facing “fuss for nothing”.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing among reporters on Monday, Spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baghaei pointed to the US attack on the Iranian city of Lamerd, in Fars province on February 28, 2026, emphasizing that the attack on the city of Lamerd was a clear example of a US war crime committed against the noble nation of the country.
Americans detonated 2,000 kilos of explosives over the city of Lamerd within 35 seconds with the aim of intimidating the people, the spokesman deplored.
The people of the Iranian city of Lamerd, particularly the families of martyrs and veterans—are true embodiments of patience and insight in the arena of defense and resistance against criminals, Baghaei underlined.
Referring to his recent visit to the Iranian city of Lamerd, Fars province, he paid tribute to the city’s residents and families of the martyrs and the disabled veterans who were victims of the American atrocity, stating, “What we witnessed firsthand in Lamerd far surpassed the impression we had previously formed through the media; the sheer brutality involved in this crime is incompatible with any human standard or principle.”
That a small town of about 30,000 people, the city center and its civilian areas, become a testing ground for the latest weapons is not compatible with any human standards and principles.
Detailing the nature of the attack committed by the United States on Lamerd city, Baghaei stated, The use of a missile packed with three- and four-gram shrapnel—specifically the firing of four missiles, each weighing approximately 500 kilograms and containing a total of 180,000 pellets, followed by their detonation over the stadium of the city, residential areas, the vicinity of the Blood Transfusion Center, and educational facilities and schools—constitutes a definite war crime.
This heinous action constitutes a war crime, both due to the use of a prohibited weapon—specifically a missile classified as a cluster munition—and because it targeted civilian areas and neighborhoods, he said, adding that the US committed this crime in the city in order to instill terror and intimidate people.
On the first day of the military aggression committed by the US and the Zionist regime jointly against the Iranian people—the very day Tehran and numerous other cities, including Minab and the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School, were targeted, approximately 2,000 kilograms of explosives detonated over the city of Lamerd within a span of 35 seconds, Baghaei underlined.
Turning to the victims of this attack, Baghaei stated, “Twenty-one innocent people, including an Afghan national, were martyred during the attack. The pain and suffering of those left disabled by this incident are also indescribable.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei referred to the recent US attack on a vessel near Hengam Island, noting, “I take this opportunity to offer my condolences to the family of the latest martyr of the Iranian resistance against American crimes.”
The US attack on the Iranian vessel near Island of Hengam, led to the killing one, injuring several others, he said, emphasizing that two Pakistani citizens among those wounded in US attack on Iranian ship near Island of Hengam.
“This incident is yet another indication of the fact that the United States has deployed military forces to our region—thousands of kilometers away from its own borders—and, while claiming to be concerned about the safety and security of shipping, attacks Iranian vessels right off our coasts and borders.”
Regarding the understanding between Iran and Oman on establishing safe maritime routes, Baghaei stated that the two coastal states reached an agreement—on a matter concerning them exclusively—following weeks of negotiations, and intended to present this understanding at a meeting attended by regional countries, in line with a responsible and far-sighted approach.
Iran-Oman deal set safe navigation routes through Hormuz with respect for sovereignty of both, he added.
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Rejecting any Iranian interference in Yemen’s affairs, Baghaei pointed out that Yemenis independently make decisions concerning their country, calling for equal maritime security for all countries.
Noting that Iran and Oman had created a suitable opportunity for dialogue among regional states, he stated that regional countries are expected to recognize the sensitive moment and seize the value of such opportunities created, he continued, adding, “If we truly believe that—as permanent neighbors, and despite all the legitimate grievances we hold regarding the conduct of certain nations—we ought to sit at the same table and discuss establishing a secure region free from the interference of destructive foreign actors, then this meeting presented an excellent opportunity.”
Regarding the postponement of the aforementioned meeting, Baghaei also stated that the has been raised is accurate; Saudi Arabia has requested that the meeting not be held for the time being.
He confirmed that Saudi Arabia was the side that requested the postponement of the planned meeting between Iran and the Persian Gulf states on possible Strait of Hormuz arrangements.
The continued war among Muslim countries only serves Israeli regime’s goal of regional insecurity, he opined.
The foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently declared—and demonstrated in practice—its readiness to assist in resolving disputes among regional countries, enabling them to reach an understanding on their issues without any interventionist role by Iran in the process.
“We are well aware that the continuation of war in the region among Islamic countries has only one winner—the Zionist regime; a regime that seeks to perpetuate tension and insecurity in the region and among Islamic nations, so that this issue must be taken into serious consideration by the regional states,” Baghaei maintained.
In response to a question regarding US efforts to isolate the Islamic Republic of Iran and the role of the BRICS group in countering this policy, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated, “A country that stands up for itself and has garnered the admiration and praise of many nations will not be isolated—even if some countries, due to considerations regarding the United States, do not explicitly voice this sentiment.”
The international community, including countries in the region, has rightly recognized that US actions have undermined international norms that are not only desirable but essential for the maintenance of international peace and security, he stressed.
The United States has turned the United Nations into an instrument for its own objectives and has largely reduced the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s position to a political tool, he said, adding that the United States has also violated the most important principles and foundations of the United Nations Charter, including the principle prohibiting the use of force.
In response to a question about the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claims regarding Iran’s Mount Kolang (Pickaxe) near the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility in central Iran, Baghaei said Iran has provided the agency with all information required under its safeguards obligations, dismissing the allegations as media speculation.
“Remarks about Mount Kolang are part of the United States’ media and psychological warfare,” the spokesman said.
He explained that new allegations are repeatedly raised in an effort to justify false narratives, adding that such claims sometimes mislead observers and public opinion.
The IAEA said on Thursday it has observed construction activity at Iran’s Mount Kolang, with its director general Rafael Grossi claiming that new activity at the complex had been spotted in remote imagery.
“There are some indications that there is activity around this construction site,” Grossi told Bloomberg Television.
“We don’t have any concrete information as to activities that may be taking place there,” he added.
