09.07.2026 17:21
The Iranian Embassy in Ankara reacted to the statements in the NATO Ankara Summit Declaration regarding Iran's nuclear program and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, stating, "NATO cannot teach Iran a lesson or dictate policy on regional peace and security."
The Embassy of Iran in Ankara announced that it rejects the statements regarding Iran's nuclear program and the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz included in the NATO Ankara Summit Declaration.
In a written statement from the Embassy of Iran in Ankara, it said: "The Islamic Republic of Iran firmly rejects the baseless and politically motivated allegations in the NATO Ankara Summit Declaration regarding its peaceful nuclear program and the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
"IRAN IS NOT THE SOURCE OF INSECURITY IN THE REGION"
The statement, which defended that Iran's nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, noted that Iran, as a responsible state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), has consistently emphasized that nuclear weapons have no place in its defense doctrine. The statement claimed that Iran plays a responsible role in preserving maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, stating: "The main source of insecurity in the region is not Iran, but the illegal military interventions, provocative actions, and destabilizing policies of extra-regional actors."
"IRAN IS NOT THE ONE CHOOSING AGGRESSION"
The statement, which also included criticisms of the US and Israel, used the following expressions:
"It was not Iran that bombed the negotiation table and chose aggression over diplomacy; it was the US and the Israeli terror regime. NATO, which supports and facilitates acts of aggression against the Iranian people, cannot lecture Iran or dictate policies on regional peace and security. Such contradictory and politically motivated stances neither contribute to peace nor enhance NATO's credibility; they only expose the alliance's double standards."
The statement noted that Iran, while resolutely defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security, maintains its commitment to diplomacy, constructive engagement, and the principles of the UN Charter, adding that lasting peace and security in the region can only be achieved through respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in internal affairs, and genuine regional cooperation free from external pressure and military coercion.