Iran fires back as Ruto condemns missile attacks in the Middle East

President William Ruto’s condemnation of missile strikes across the middle East has received a firm response with Iran insisting that its missile activities are acts of self-defense and not aggression

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, President Ruto had said Kenya strongly condemns the strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in what he termed as “evolving conflict in the Middle East”.

“It is evident that the regionalization of this conflict poses a grave threat to international peace and security. At this defining and perilous moment in global history, longstanding multilateral institutions remain indispensable frameworks for the resolution of the current crisis in the Middle East,” Ruto said.

The remarks sparked backlash online with some Kenyans arguing it risked creating unnecessary diplomatic strain.

In his statement, the President further called for urgent multi-stakeholder engagement “towards de-escalation.”

Responding to the President’s remarks, Iran’s Ambassador to Kenya Ali Gholampour defended Tehran’s position, saying any missile activities in those countries are actions of self-defence as a result of the US-Israel aggression against their country.

“Right before this aggression in Iran, our authority has, time and again, declared and announced that Iran must defend itself. Iranians have never submitted to foreign aggression, and we will not start today,” he said.

“All the bases and facilities that are in the services of the US and the Zionist regime of Israel will be legitimate targets. So it has not been a kind of surprise to all the nations and they understand the situation that this is the time that we need to defend ourselves,” he added.

Dr Gholampour also said the President’s remarks could cause a diplomatic tiff asserting that the retaliatory strikes are within the international law on self-defence.

“All responsible governments and countries around the world, those who are members of the United Nations and those who are members of the non-aligned movement, independent countries from the Global South should protect international law, international peace and security and order,” he said.

“This is security for all, peace for all. So I do believe that each and every country and government has the responsibility to protect international law and to try its best to de-escalate the tension, if not prevent it, in order to ensure the peace for all the nations, including Africa and the great people of Kenya,” the ambassador added.

Amid growing concern at home, Iran also moved to reassure Kenya that it poses no direct threat to its territory despite the escalating conflict with the United States, saying that the missile activities will not affect Kenyan land, calming fears that the growing confrontation in the Middle East could pose a direct threat to East Africa.

“Our missiles will not reach the Kenyan territory. In order to show its intention of peace to the world, our government has deliberately limited its missile capacity only for defensive purposes,” said Gholampour.

“They have intentionally limited the range of missiles to maximum 2,000 kilometres only for defensive purposes. We have had long historical friendly and amicable relations and we do our best to preserve that relation,” said the ambassador.

He added that Kenya does not host a United States military facility that is capable of attacking Iran, expressing confidence that Kenya would not allow its territory to be used for military action against his country.

“I do not believe that Kenya will provide such a facility to attack Iran from its land. This is something that I assume will not happen,” he said.

“We do believe that all the countries and governments should show their responsibility and protect the rights of their people for prosperity, for trade and access to food, access to energy. And that is why they should try all their best and good offices to de-escalate and stop aggression against Iran,” the Iranian ambassador added.

The assurance by the Iranian government comes amid rising global fears and anxiety that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war across the Middle East where several US military bases are located with Iran stating that some of the bases were used to launch attacks.

The ambassador maintained that its retaliatory actions are defensive and in response to what it describes as aggression launched from US military bases in the Persian Gulf region surrounding Iran.

Already, there are reports of retaliatory missile attacks in the Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Israel, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arabs Emirates and Oman as Iran targets US-Israeli assets in the region.

 “When you are attacked under military aggression, you should not sit down and watch. You will take all the necessary measures to defend yourselves in accordance with international law,” said the ambassador.

"We cannot sit and witness on a daily basis scenes that civilians in Iran, students at schools, those who are hospitalized at hospital are bombed and killed. It is an inherent right to defend ourselves, and we are determined to our defense by all means,” he asserted.

Gholampour also addressed concerns about Kenyans and other migrants in Iran saying that the government is facilitating safe exits for foreigners who wish to leave.

“The embassies and also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and all the relevant institutions and organizations are providing all the necessary facilitations for all those who wish to get out the of the country through the land exit corridors,” he said.

By 2024, there were about 200 Kenyans in Iran, according to statistics by Kenya’s Ministry of Diaspora and Foreign Affairs.

The conflict has already heightened global fears of wider economic disruption.

Iran warned that prolonged war could affect trade, energy supplies and transportation routes, particularly through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but vital shipping route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil passes.

The Strait of Hormuz is located between Iran on one side and Oman and UAE on the other side with Iran controlling the Northern side.

“In times of war, especially when it is turned to be all-over war and all-round war, total war, the consequences that negatively impact nations would be trade and economy and the routes for commercial goods transportation,” said the ambassador.

He added that although ran is closely monitoring the Strait of Hormuz, it has not shut it down.

“We are very diligent and smart; we are controlling the state of Hormuz. But it is open. It is not closed yet,” he added.

Iran claims that the current crisis began after what it describes as a coordinated military assault by the United States and Israel adding that warplanes and missiles targeted defensive infrastructure as well as civilian facilities in several cities.

“This not merely an act of aggression. It is a flagrant violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations and a grave threat to international peace and security,” Gholampour said, waning that the US and Israel should bear full and direct responsibility for all ensuing consequences, including civilian fatalities.

He also claimed that schools, hospitals, roads and homes were struck during the attacks. International media reports indicate that more than 150 people were killed after a strike attack in a school.

“The enemies of Iran believed that by assassinating our leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, they would break our resolve. They thought that in removing the symbol of our resistance, they would cause the Iranian nation to falter. They were mistaken.”

Asked whether the objective of the attack was simply regime change, the ambassador stated that Iran’s independence and natural resources make it a strategic target.

“Iran is rich in terms of resources, natural resources, a very rich country. They are also looking for controlling and taking all the natural resources from Iran.”

He compared the situation to other countries that have faced sanctions and political pressure, claiming Iran has endured years of economic restrictions, military threats and diplomatic isolation.

“They imposed sanctions, unprecedented historical sanctions and coercive measures against Iran. They failed. They tried to de-establish the country but they failed,” he said.

He also dismissed claims that their nuclear facilities have been completely destroyed, a claim made by US President Donald Trump.

The ambassador called on the international community and the UN Security Council to intervene and stop the aggression against Iran.

“First of all, we do not wish to escalate. We are seeking the help and assistance from all governments across the world to do their maximal effort to deescalate the tension. Many migrants are living in the countries in the Persian Gulf and all their families are depending on their revenues and the money that they make for them, for their livelihoods.”

“This is a very unfortunate situation and I hope that sooner or later all the countries in the region and outside will come to this conclusion that they need to stop this aggression,’ Gholampour urged.

He warned that failure to act would weaken global institutions and international law.

“We did not seek this war. This is a patriotic war that has been imposed on us. But now that it has been imposed, the world will witness once again what the Iranian nation is capable of when its dignity, its sovereignty, and its leaders are attacked.”

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired by the heroic legacy of this ancient land and relying on trust in Almighty God, will defend the dignity and security of the Iranian nation with determination and all their might. History bears witness. Iranians have never submitted to foreign aggression, and we will not start today,” he warned.