Iran says US forces' presence in cities has led to urban-area strikes in Gulf

DUBAI, March 18 (Reuters) - Iranian strikes near Gulf countries' urban areas are due to U.S. forces relocating out of military bases into hotels inside cities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera in remarks relayed in Iranian media on Wednesday.

"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.

Araqchi 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 U.S. for starting the war on February 28.