Iran Accuses EU Of 'Hypocrisy' Over Condemnation Of Retaliatory Strikes

Iran's Foreign Ministry has hit back at the European Union (EU) after the bloc condemned Tehran's retaliatory strikes against US military assets, accusing Brussels of hypocrisy and selective moral reasoning.

Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei posted the rebuke on X on Monday, responding directly to an EU statement that strongly condemned the strikes as a serious threat to regional security and stability. Baghaei called the EU's position "hypocritical and reckless," arguing that Tehran had acted within its rights under international law by targeting bases and assets used to launch what he described as unlawful attacks against Iran.

"The EU's statement blaming Iran for exercising its right to self-defence against US aggression launched from bases in neighbouring countries is a masterclass in selective moral outrage," Baghaei wrote. He urged the European External Action Service to honour what he called its long-standing commitment to the rule of law and the principles of the UN Charter, and to stop what he characterised as the appeasement of aggressors while penalising those who respond.

Baghaei also invoked a broader legal principle, arguing that states carry an established obligation not to permit their territory or assets to be used as launchpads for attacks on other sovereign nations — an implicit criticism of the countries from whose bases the US strikes were conducted.

The exchange reflects the deepening rift between Tehran and Western governments over the legal and moral framing of the conflict, even as US-Iran negotiations over a ceasefire framework continue. The EU has broadly sided with Washington in condemning Iranian military action, a stance Tehran has consistently rejected as inconsistent with the bloc's stated commitment to multilateralism and international law.

EU's Statement

Last Friday, the EU "strongly" censured the attack perpetrated the previous day by Iranian forces against Kuwaiti territory, considering it an action that "violates the sovereignty" of Kuwait in accordance with International Law. The 27-nation bloc also reiterated its support and "full solidarity" with the Government of Kuwait and its people.

"These attacks represent a serious threat to regional security and stability," states a statement collected by the European External Action Service (EEAS).