BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 4. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger discussed the military escalation in the region, Trend reports via the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the ministry, the ministers exchanged views on international issues and bilateral relations.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, striking major cities, including Tehran. The White House cited missile and nuclear threats originating from the Islamic Republic as justification for the attacks. The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several other senior officials. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel and has targeted U.S. facilities across Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
The conflict has placed the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime shipping under serious threat. Due to security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have risen significantly. Iran fully controls the Strait of Hormuz and allows passage only to vessels it deems necessary.