Speaking at a weekly press conference, Baqaei stressed that Iran has never attacked any country in the region and has no intention of doing so, emphasizing that Iranian military operations have been directed solely at US military facilities used to launch attacks against the Islamic Republic.
"We have not attacked, and will not attack, any country in the region," he said, urging observers to "use words precisely."
The spokesman said Tehran has repeatedly urged neighboring states not to allow the United States or the Israeli regime to use their territory for military operations against Iran, describing such a responsibility as an obligation under international law.
"We will not hesitate in defending ourselves," Baqaei said, warning that any part of the region used as a platform for aggression against Iran "will be subject to Iran's defensive measures."
Addressing US claims about escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Baqaei said lasting security in the strategic waterway can only be achieved through regional cooperation without the presence of foreign powers.
"Our principled policy is that the region will not become secure unless the regional countries establish their own security mechanisms without foreign interference," he said, arguing that recent instability in West Asia has been fueled by the continued US military presence.
He reiterated that Iran will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to become a base for threats against its national interests, saying Tehran has acted sincerely to ensure safe maritime navigation while denouncing Washington for obstructing those efforts.
On the prospects for diplomacy, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said the rapidly evolving regional situation requires flexibility in choosing the most effective means of safeguarding Iran's interests.
"The art is to choose the best method to help secure our national interests," he said. "Where circumstances require, we use the instrument of war, and where circumstances require, we use the instrument of diplomacy."