Turkey says it does not condone possible use of violence against Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for what he described as opposition to “all forms of foreign interference” in Iran, state media reported on Thursday.

In the letter, Araghchi urged the United Nations to oppose what he called any actions against Iran’s territorial integrity and national interests.

He also referred to recent unrest in the country, which he described as violent and terrorist in nature.

“In recent days, we witnessed violent acts and terrorism in the style of Islamic State against Iran,” Araghchi said in the letter.

He said what he described as peaceful protests had been “sabotaged by terrorist elements” and called for the condemnation of what he termed terrorist acts.

Araghchi also criticized US statements on human rights in Iran, calling them “misleading and shameful,” the reports said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan spoke by phone on Thursday about bilateral ties and regional and international developments, Iran’s foreign ministry said.

"The two ministers stressed their determination to strengthen relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in areas of mutual interest," the ministry said.

Araghchi said recent events in Iran began with peaceful economic and labor protests but later turned violent after what he described as "the organized involvement of terrorist elements linked to Israel."

“Iran will strongly defend its borders against any external threat,” he said, according to the statement.

He also criticized what he called provocative and interfering remarks by US officials, and said countries in the region had a responsibility to safeguard stability and security against destabilizing actions.

German lawmaker Norbert Rottgen said on Thursday that designating Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group would have a concrete impact and raise pressure on Tehran.

“The terror listing of the Revolutionary Guards would have a concrete effect,” Rottgen said in a post on X.

He said the move would hit what he called the elites of the repression apparatus both financially and politically and would add pressure on a regime that he said now relies only on violence.

US officials said Washington began withdrawing some personnel from military facilities in the region, describing the move as a precaution as tensions rose.

The drawdowns came as the United States weighed its response to unrest inside Iran and after repeated warnings from Tehran that any US strike would be met with retaliation against American bases in neighboring countries.

US President Donald Trump struck an ambivalent tone, telling reporters he was monitoring the situation closely and suggesting reports of killings inside Iran were easing. He said he had received what he described as “a very good statement” from Iran, while stopping short of ruling out military action.

Privately, officials and diplomats from several countries said they remained concerned that US intervention was still possible, with some suggesting there was a limited window in which action could occur.

Regional governments, including Qatar, confirmed adjustments tied to heightened tensions, while Britain also reported precautionary measures involving its personnel.

Britain said it had closed its embassy in Tehran, citing security concerns, adding to signs of diplomatic retrenchment as foreign governments reassessed their presence in Iran amid the unrest.

Inside Iran, the leadership has sought to project control in what officials describe as the most serious unrest in decades. Iranian authorities have blamed foreign enemies, particularly Israel and the United States, for fueling violence, while insisting calm has returned after what they describe as a brief but intense period.

In a combative television interview with Fox News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected allegations that Iranian security forces carried out mass killings of protesters. He said the violence stemmed from clashes with what he called foreign-backed “terrorist elements,” and portrayed the unrest as part of a wider conflict imposed on Iran.

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“There was fighting between our security forces and terrorist elements,” Araghchi said, dismissing accounts of widespread repression as misinformation and accusing Israel of trying to draw the United States into war.

Human rights groups outside Iran have reported high casualty figures, while an internet blackout has restricted independent verification on the ground. The information gap has fueled uncertainty, with competing narratives from Iranian officials, foreign governments and activists.

Iran has also intensified contacts with regional states in recent days, officials said. Tehran has urged neighboring countries to prevent any US military action, warning that American bases in the region would be at risk if Iran were attacked. Direct communication between Iranian and US officials remains suspended, they added.

Despite the scale of the unrest and mounting external pressure, Western officials have said Iran’s security apparatus appears intact and the government does not look on the brink of collapse. Iranian state media has broadcast images of funerals and rallies that it presented as evidence of continued public support for the Islamic Republic.

New Zealand said on Thursday it was appalled by what it described as an escalation of violence and repression in Iran.

“New Zealand is appalled by the escalation of violence and repression in Iran,” Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a post on X.

He said the government condemned what it called a brutal crackdown by Iranian security forces, including the killing of protesters, and said Iranians had the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.

Peters said New Zealand had raised its concerns directly with the Iranian embassy in Wellington and would continue to do so.