Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday accused Israel of trying to expand the conflict beyond Iran’s borders by striking a major gas facility along the Gulf coast.
“Dragging the conflict into the Persian Gulf region is a major strategic mistake, likely deliberate and intended to extend the war beyond Iranian territory,” Araghchi said during a meeting with foreign diplomats.
He was referring to an Israeli drone strike Saturday on a facility operating at South Pars, located offshore near Iran’s southern Bushehr province. The South Pars field supplies around 70 percent of Iran’s domestic natural gas and forms part of the South Pars/North Dome mega-field, the world’s largest known gas reserve, which Iran shares with Qatar.
Iranian media reported a “massive explosion” and fire following the strike on one of the Phase 14 facilities.
Araghchi described the incident as “an extremely dangerous move,” warning that any military activity in the Gulf “could involve the entire region — and possibly the whole world.”
The strike came as part of a broader Israeli offensive on Friday that targeted Iranian military bases, nuclear sites, and residential areas, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Iran responded with a barrage of missile attacks on Israel early Sunday, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens more.