TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister warned on Wednesday that the repercussions of the Middle East war would be felt globally, urging Western officials to oppose the conflict as a senior US counterterrorism official resigned in protest.
“Wave of global repercussions has only begun and will hit all — regardless of wealth, faith, or race,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X, adding that more international voices should speak out against what he described as an unjust war on Iran.
A rising number of voices—incl European and U.S. officials—exclaim that the war on Iran is unjust. More members of the international community should follow suit.
Wave of global repercussions has only begun and will hit all—regardless of wealth, faith, or race. Our foe is one. pic.twitter.com/sZGHyvv6v8
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 17, 2026
His remarks came after Joe Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned on Tuesday, becoming the most senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration to step down over the conflict.
Following a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, Tehran launched waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf states, Israel, and American assets across the region, plunging the region into one of its most serious security crises in years.
In a resignation letter posted on X, Kent said he could not support the ongoing military campaign, arguing that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote, adding that the conflict had been driven by external pressure and urging President Trump to reconsider the course of action.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
Kent’s departure marks the first high-level resignation directly linked to the US offensive against Iran, which began on February 28.
The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately comment, according to Reuters, while intelligence officials were reportedly caught off guard by the move.
Legal experts cited by Reuters noted that demonstrating an “imminent threat” is typically required under US law to justify military action.
In his resignation letter, Kent alleged that the Trump administration had been misled into war.
He claimed that “high-ranking Israeli officials” and influential US media figures had spread misinformation suggesting Iran posed an imminent threat.
“This echo was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States,” Kent wrote. “This was a lie.”
