Iran on Sunday rejected demands by Gulf states that it pay compensation for damage attributed to its attacks in the region. Meanwhile, Bahrain said its air defense systems had intercepted several Iranian drones, while Tehran claimed to have targeted a US radar installation in the kingdom, amid continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said regional countries that had "actively participated in the military aggression" against Iran and allowed their territories to be used by the United States and Israel could not demand reparations.

Speaking at a weekly press conference, Baghaei said Iran was instead seeking compensation for losses and damage it said had been inflicted on the country, adding that Tehran had documented the relevant cases. He maintained that Iran's retaliatory actions were "purely defensive in nature" and targeted only US military bases and assets used to launch attacks against Iran.

The remarks followed a call by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi for Iran to provide full compensation for damage, losses and injuries resulting from its attacks on Gulf states. Addressing the UN Security Council on Friday, Albudaiwi said GCC countries had faced more than 7,000 Iranian missiles and drones since February 28, targeting airports, ports, energy facilities, water desalination plants and civilian infrastructure. He held Iran fully responsible for the attacks and their consequences.

Meanwhile, Bahrain's Defense Force said on Sunday that its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed several Iranian drones before they reached their targets. The announcement came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its aerospace force had targeted a US air defense radar installation at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain with six drones. The claimed strike had not been independently confirmed, with no immediate confirmation from US or Bahraini authorities.

Bahrain's Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as violations of the kingdom's sovereignty and international law, saying it reserved the right to self-defense. Separately, the IRGC Navy said two oil tankers had exploded after striking naval mines while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through what it called an unauthorized route.

On the diplomatic front, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported, citing Baghaei, that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would travel to Muscat on Tuesday for talks with his Omani counterpart.

Earlier this month, Araghchi described Qatari-mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington as "very intense," although they ended without significant progress toward an agreement. He said the future of diplomatic efforts depended on the US's "political rationality" and warned that any renewed military action against Iran would be met with a heavy response.

The disruption to shipping through the strait has also raised concerns over global food security. Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), said on Saturday that Iran and the United States should immediately allow fertilizer shipments to pass through the waterway to ease pressure on vulnerable countries.

Before the conflict, about one-third of the world's fertilizers were transported through the Strait of Hormuz, while fertilizer prices have risen by around 30% since the blockades began, he said. Calling for at least five fertilizer vessels to be allowed through the strait each day, da Silva warned that continued disruption could leave 45 million people facing severe and acute food insecurity and push another 30 million into poverty if planting seasons are missed. He added that the UN had a system ready to get fertilizer shipments moving within seven to ten days.

(With input from agencies)