The Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja, has accused the United States of using the ongoing conflict with Iran to secure control over the country's energy reserves, describing Washington's actions as driven by "hegemonic ambitions."
Speaking on Trust TV's Daily Politics on Monday, Raja said the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran were part of a broader strategy to dominate Iran's oil resources.
"The main aim of the United States and the Zionist regime for such brutal and unprovoked aggression is to seize Iranian energy reserves. The Zionist regime seeks Iran's disintegration--they announced it themselves," he stated.
Despite the attacks on infrastructure, Raja said Iran's government continues to function normally and that the Iranian people remain united in defending their sovereignty.
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He also rejected any foreign influence over the selection of Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Khamenei, stressing, "Iran is an independent country. We make our own decisions without outside interference."
On the humanitarian impact, the ambassador accused US missiles of hitting civilian targets, including a school in Minab City, claiming many children were killed.
He insisted Iran targets only military bases in the Gulf and accused Washington and Israel of staging "false flag operations" to blame Tehran.
Raja also dismissed Israeli claims that Iran sponsors terrorism in Nigeria as "baseless and politically motivated," emphasising that Iran's interactions with the Islamic Movement of Nigeria are purely spiritual and cultural.
Addressing global energy concerns, he denied reports of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, warning that further military escalation could destabilise the region. "Conflict in this strategic region naturally drives energy prices up worldwide," he noted.
