Spokesman Slams PGCC’s Interference in Iran’s Internal Affairs

In remarks on Wednesday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi dismissed the statement issued at the 40th summit of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (P)GCC) and certain anti-Iran comments made at the summit in Riyadh.

“The repetition of groundless allegations in that statement results from the political pressures from a few members of the council, which have made every effort during the past couple of decades to prevent promotion of multilateral cooperation,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

“With their short-sightedness throughout these years, not only have they (certain PGCC members) allowed for the plunder of the neighboring countries’ wealth, but they have also paved the way for further interference from aliens in this delicate region,” Mousavi deplored.

“A small number of the council’s members are willing to ruin opportunities for cooperation, provided by our country for the purpose of creating security and stability in the region, by keeping up their unwise policies,” the Iranian diplomat said, urging other regional countries to stand against such policies.

Highlighting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s responsible behavior over the past years, Mousavi referred to proposing a non-aggression pact, the Regional Dialogue Forum, and ultimately the Hormuz Peace Endeavor as just part of Iran’s efforts for materialization of regional cooperation. 

The spokesperson then called on the few countries supporting the continuation of unwise policies in the region to explain to the region’s public opinion what measures they have taken to ease regional tensions other than creating and strengthening terrorist and Takfiri groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, or allowing aliens in the Persian Gulf.

“The countries whose irresponsible meddling in other countries has led to the massacre of innocent citizens, from women and children to the elderly, and has resulted in the spread of insecurity and terrorism in the region, are attempting to evade the consequences of and international punishment for the blatant violation of international laws and their war crimes by pinning the blame on others,” Mousavi said.

The spokesperson further underlined that the three islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa are indispensable and eternal part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s territories, adding, “Our country regards any claim on those islands as interference in its internal affairs and its territorial boundaries, and strongly condemns it.”

“All activities by the Islamic Republic of Iran on the (three) islands have been in line with the country’s inalienable rights and in compliance with its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated, adding, “Repetition of such meddlesome stances in any shape is categorically rejected, and has not had and will not have any impact on the legal and historical realities on the ground.”

Slamming the PGCC’s reaction to a reduction of Iran’s JCPOA commitments as a “historical irony”, the spokesman said, “The countries that invested all of their efforts and capital in the failure of the JCPOA are now opposing Iran’s legitimate measures.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also strongly condemned the PGCC statement’s brazen support for the US economic terrorism against the great Iranian nation, saying such support runs counter to the policy of good-neighborliness.

“Many of the bogus and repetitious claims in that (PGCC) statement do not merit a response,” Mousavi went on to say, expressing hope that those PGCC members would shift their policies and opt for cooperation instead of making such provocative remarks which only result in the continuation of the current destructive trend and which steer the region towards a vague future.