Baqaei: Hosting Iran’s Enemies Reflects Ingratitude for the Past and a Lack of Foresight

According to Saednews, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has highlighted Iran's role in helping Kuwait extinguish its burning oil wells after the 1991 Gulf War, using the historical event to underscore Iran's longstanding commitment to assisting its neighbors despite past conflicts.

In a post on X, Baqaei shared a photograph of Iranian oil industry specialists who traveled to Kuwait in 1991 to help contain one of the largest environmental disasters in modern history. He described the image as a reminder of the dedication and professionalism of the Iranian team that worked to extinguish fires at Kuwait's oil wells following the withdrawal of Iraqi forces.

Baqaei noted that Iran agreed to assist Kuwait even though only three years had passed since the end of the Iran-Iraq War, during which Kuwait and several other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries had supported Saddam Hussein's government. Despite those recent hostilities, Iran responded to Kuwait's request for help by sending a 47-member team of oil experts.

According to Baqaei, the Iranian specialists successfully capped 28 oil wells in the Burgan oil field, contributing to what has been recognized internationally as the largest oil well firefighting operation in history.

He concluded by criticizing what he described as a lack of appreciation for Iran's past assistance, saying that while Iran had helped extinguish the fires threatening Kuwait, some countries have since aligned themselves against the Iranian people. He reaffirmed that Iran remains committed to maintaining good relations with its neighbors, while warning that ingratitude and short-sighted policies ultimately have consequences.

The remarks come as regional diplomatic tensions continue to shape relations between Iran and several Gulf states, with historical events increasingly referenced in contemporary political discourse.