Iran Hits Back at CIA Director for “Cheap” Allegations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry slammed as cheap, divisive and interfering the comments made by CIA director Mike Pompeo against Tehran, saying the US itself is known as the root cause of instability and spread of extremism and terrorism in the world.
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi rejected the CIA director’s accusations against Iran and its regional role, reiterating that Tehran gives priority to its neighbors and has shaped its foreign policy on the basis of non-interference in the internal affairs of others and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the neighboring states.
While Iran has made great strides in promoting peaceful coexistence and ensuring collective security in the region, the CIA chief’s allegations are brazen example of Washington’s interfering and illegitimate policies, he deplored.
“Repetition of such cheap remarks are merely aimed at creating division among the region’s Muslim countries and nations, and reveal the continuing excessive demands of that country (the US),” Qassemi deplored.
The Iranian spokesman also lashed out at the US for its interfering and destabilizing presence in the Middle East region and around the Iranian borders, saying such American presence threatens the interests of all regional countries and obstructs the process of ending the crises through dialogue and diplomacy.
The US is undoubtedly the main element behind instability and spread of extremism, hostility and terrorism in the Middle East and the world, the spokesperson added.
His comments came after the CIA director repeated the claim that Iran fires missiles at Saudi Arabia through a proxy force in Yemen, saying the alleged move is “unacceptable” and constitutes “acts of war”.
Pompeo also told the BBC in an interview that the best way of avoiding an escalation of conflict was to make sure the Iranian people understood the cost of such activities by their government.
In comments in June 2017, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described the US as the cause of instability in the Middle East, dismissing any chance of reconciliation with the US administration which has been “founded upon terrorism” and opposes the essence of the Islamic Republic.
The US is opposed to the principle of Iran’s independence, the Leader noted, arguing that even if Iran was being governed by a non-religious and non-revolutionary but an independent establishment, the US would again oppose it.