Iranian Ambassador to Kenya Ali Gholampour has said Iran will not strike United States (US) bases in Kenya.
Speaking on Monday, March 2, during a press briefing in Nairobi, Gholampour stressed that Iran’s missile strikes are solely for defensive purposes.
He also stated that Iran’s missiles have a maximum range of about 2,000 kilometers and would not be capable of reaching the Kenyan territory.
“Our missiles will not reach to get to the Kenyan territory. Our government wants to show its peaceful intentions in the war. These missiles are only for defensive purposes. They also have a range of 2000 kilometers.
“I don’t think we strike Kenya because we have good historical relations and we will do our best to save that relationship,” he stated.
The Iranian ambassador went on say he believes Kenya will not provide a military facility to the US to attack Iran.
“I do not believe that Kenya will provide such a facility to attack Iran from its land,” Gholampour added.
This comes after President William Ruto condemned strikes by Iran targeting Middle East nations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.
In a statement on Monday, Ruto warned that the regionalization of the conflict represents a grave danger to international peace and security.
“Kenya strongly condemns the strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain in the evolving conflict in the Middle East.
“It is evident that the regionalization of this conflict poses a grave threat to international peace and security,” Ruto stated.
The head of State called for an urgent multi-stakeholder engagement to de-escalate the ongoing crisis.
“At this defining and perilous moment in global history, longstanding multilateral institutions remain indispensable frameworks for the resolution of the current crisis in the Middle East. Kenya calls for urgent multi-stakeholder engagement towards de-escalation,” Ruto added.
The conflict in the Middle East began after the United States and Israel launched coordinated military action against Iran.
During the attack, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military officials were killed.
In response, Iran carried out strikes against neighboring states, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Tehran used ballistic missiles and drones to launch wide-scale attacks on US allies across the Middle East.
