Iranian strikes near Gulf countries’ urban areas are due to US forces relocating out of military bases into hotels inside cities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has told Al Jazeera, in remarks carried by Reuters.

“Wherever there were American forces gathering, wherever there were facilities belonging to them, they were targeted. It is possible some of these places were near urban areas,” the top Iranian diplomat said.

Araghchi acknowledged that regional countries are “upset and their people have been harmed or bothered” by Iranian strikes, but added that the blame lay entirely with the US for starting the war on February 28.