Iran Raps Pompeo’s ‘Worthless’ Stances, US Attempt to Perpetuate Mideast Tensions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected hostile comments made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo against the Islamic Republic, hitting back at Washington for meddling in Tehran-Baghdad ties and its push to maintain tensions across the Middle East.
In a statement on Thursday, Bahram Qassemi denounced as “hackneyed and worthless” the remarks by Pompeo made at the CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference on Tuesday and at a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Slamming Pompeo’s meddlesome comments about the bilateral ties between Iran and Iraq, Qassemi underlined that Tehran and Baghdad enjoy close bonds on the basis of respect, mutual trust, common interests and the will of the two nations and their leaders.
“Contrary to the United States of America’s usual interfering policies, neither of the countries (Iran and Iraq) seeks to impose its will and demands on the other,” the spokesman underscored.
“Iran and Iraq have been neighbors for hundreds of years and will remain so for hundreds of years to come,” he said, adding, “The leaders of the two countries have decided to stand together in tough conditions. If such a decision and choice irritates the US officials, they should not allow themselves to use undiplomatic terms and a language ignoring the common and conventional courtesy used in political interactions between two sovereign states just because of their absurd anger caused by their selfish wrath and habits.”
Qassemi further criticized Pompeo’s anti-Iran comments in a recent meeting with the UN chief, saying Washington has focused efforts on hostility towards Iran and resorts to bogus and fabricated allegations to maintain multiple tensions in the Middle East instead of trying to end the wars in West Asia and uproot Takfiri terrorism in some of its allied countries.
The Iranian spokesman went on to say that the US policies have resulted in the massacre of thousands of people, destruction of infrastructures in a number of regional countries, and aggravation of fighting and crises in the region, while the US itself has increased incomes from arms sale.
Speaking at the CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference in Houston, Pompeo said the US will continue to push Iran’s oil exports towards zero.
In remarks in December 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei highlighted the Iranian nation’s resolve in standing against the US plots over the past decades, saying Washington has been trying to regain control of Iran like the pre-Revolution era and create the same situation that it has established in certain weak regional countries who have been derided as cows milked by the US.
Iran’s archenemies are mired in moral and political corruption, Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding, “If you want to see the real image of the US, look at the current US president and government officials, as these people have now revealed the usual ugly and despicable face of the US politicians overtly and brazenly.”
The Leader also cautioned Iranian officials against the unending US plots, saying the Zionists and the regional reactionaries aid and abet the US hostile ploys against the Iranian nation.