The son-in-law and daughter-in-law of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed in joint strikes conducted by the United States (US) and Israel on Saturday, claimed multiple media reports citing a member of Tehran City Council. However, Iranian officials or any the country's state media has not made a confirmation regarding this yet.
Earlier, several reports also claimed that Khamenei was also killed in the strikes, but Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi refused them all and said that all of country's top leadership is alive. Speaking to NBC News, Aragchi said Iran has only targeted US bases in the Middle East, as it wants to de-escalate the situation. He further said the US can contact if it wants to end this crisis.
"This is a war of choice by the United States, and they have to pay for that. But as far as we are concerned, we don’t want war," the foreign minister said.
The US and Iran had held talks recently over the latter's nuclear programme. The US, along with Israel, wants Iran to shut its nuclear programme, accusing the Mideast nation of making nuclear weapons. However, Iran has refused to accept the conditions put forth by the US.
According to reports, more than 200 people were killed in the US-Israel strikes. Now, Iran has vowed to strongly reply to the strikes. It has also targeted multiple US bases in the region, a move that has irked most of the Gulf nations, who have condemned the act.
Iran has also blocked the Strait of Hormuz, as multiple vessels have received transmission from Iranian Revolutionary Guards that no ships will be allowed in the narrow strip on which around 20 per cent of the global energy supplies depend.
"Despite deep reservations stemming from past experiences, including the recent 12-day war, Iran persisted with negotiations to demonstrate our commitment to peace and to remove any pretext for conflict," said Iran's Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said.
"However, today's coordinated action by the United States and the Zionist regime once again confirms their unreliability. It reveals their real aim: continued pressure, threats and direct military aggression to pursue illegitimate interests," he added.
