Iran Accuses U.S., Israel of Deadly Strike, Vows Retaliation
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Kenya, Dr. Ali Gholampour Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on March, 2nd,2026.
Iran has accused the United States and Israel of launching a coordinated military attack on its territory, an assault Tehran claims killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeted both defensive and non-military infrastructure.
Speaking in Nairobi, Iran’s Ambassador to Kenya Dr. Ali Gholampour, described the strike as a “cowardly and coordinated military aggression” carried out in the early hours of Saturday during the holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
“With a heavy heart and tears that I cannot hide, I must inform you that our beloved leader has been martyred,” the ambassador said, declaring that Khamenei had “fallen victim to this act of war.”
The envoy accused Washington and Tel Aviv of violating international law, citing Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of another state. He further invoked Article 51, asserting Iran’s “inherent and legitimate right to self-defense.”
According to the ambassador, the strikes hit multiple cities and were launched from U.S. military bases in the Gulf region. He warned that facilities serving American and Israeli forces would be considered legitimate targets in any response.
“This is not merely an act of aggression; it is a grave threat to international peace and security,” he said, adding that those responsible would bear “full and direct responsibility for all ensuing consequences.”
The attack, he said, came while Iran was engaged in diplomatic talks with the United States, which he described as having been conducted in good faith. Instead of progress, he claimed, Iran was met “with bombs, with missiles, and with the blood of our leader.”
Despite heightened tensions, the ambassador said Iran had not closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, though it was “very diligently and very smartly” controlling it. He acknowledged that a broader conflict could disrupt trade, energy supplies and global markets, affecting regions far beyond the Middle East, including Africa.
Iran has called on the United Nations Security Council to convene immediately and take binding action to halt what it terms aggression. The ambassador also urged regional governments and members of the Non-Aligned Movement to defend international law and work toward de-escalation.
“We did not seek this war,” he said. “But now that it has been imposed, we will defend our dignity, sovereignty and nation with determination and all our might.”
Iranian authorities, he added, are facilitating safe land exits for foreign nationals wishing to leave the country.
