Iran says it will strengthen ties with Iraq's Kurdistan Region

WASHINGTON, United States — Iran's Foreign Ministry announced a decision to deepen cooperation and ties with Iraq's Kurdistan Region under the framework of counterterrorism efforts, the ministry's spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press briefing, Baghaei accused the United States of being the primary party responsible for aggression against Iran and said Tehran cannot remain silent in the face of participation by certain regional countries in that aggression. He described a joint statement by the US Secretary of State and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries as "destructive" and stressed that Iran will not negotiate its defense capabilities. Baghaei said Iran expects regional states not to continue cooperating with Washington and added that Tehran will not allow the United States to set the timing of war and peace. On the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said positive talks had been held with Oman over the past two days on managing transit through the waterway, with the sovereignty and interests of both countries taken into account. He added that those discussions have no connection to the United States.