Iran Urges Foreign Forces to Leave Region Surrounding Country

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday urged foreign forces stationed around Iran to leave the area, warning that Tehran prefers diplomacy but can also resort to other means. “Foreign forces around our region are always at risk due to their own mistakes, ordinary accidents, or the potential to get caught in crossfire. To reduce the risk, the best solution is for them to leave. We prefer diplomatic efforts, but we also ‘speak in other languages’,” Araghchi posted on social media platform X. The foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz is not international waters and is thousands of miles from the US coast. Iran’s armed forces are always on alert against any violation of Iranian airspace, he stressed. On Monday, US President Donald Trump said an American AH-64 Apache helicopter that crashed off the coast of Oman had been shot down by Iran and that the US needed to respond. US Central Command told RIA Novosti that the helicopter crashed off the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. Both pilots were rescued within hours and are reported to be in stable condition.