MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil concerned over Israel's attack on Iran

Brasilia “follows with strong concern the Israeli air offensive,” Itamaraty (Brazil's Foreign Ministry) said in a statement

The Government of Brazil issued a statement Friday condemning Israel's attack against Iran, which represented a violation of the latter's sovereignty.

The South American country's Foreign Ministry said the mission targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and missile factories, during which senior military officers and scientists were killed, was also contrary to “international law.”

Itamaraty added that the attacks threaten to plunge the entire region into a large-scale conflict, “with a high risk to peace, security, and the world economy. Brazil urges all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint and calls for an immediate end to hostilities.”

The Supreme Leader of the Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promised on Friday to respond to Israel's attacks. According to the Israeli authorities, Iran has already retaliated with drone attacks, but Tehran denies this.

Israel claimed Iran was building atomic bombs that could be used against Tel-Aviv. Iran denied these allegations and insisted that it only uses atomic technology for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.

Iran is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly objected to Tehran's commitments to the organization. In response, Iran's nuclear authority denied these claims and argued that the agency was carrying out a “politically motivated” campaign guided by Great Britain, France, Germany, and the United States (US), under the influence of Israel.

Israel is one of the few countries in the world not to have signed the NPT. The United States (US) had been pressuring Iran to reduce the scope of its nuclear program. President Donald Trump praised Israel's attacks on Tehran and called on the country to accept the agreement on the nuclear issue. (Source: Agência Brasil)