‘Iran Not Seeking Tension But Ready to Defend Its Security’

Speaking in the weekly presser on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh answered questions raised by reporters over recent development in the field of foreign policy. The senior Iranian diplomat spoke about the recent meeting JCPOA member countries at the ministerial level, stating that in the meeting the Islamic Republic emphasized the commitments of the other side, and the latest situation was discussed in this informal meeting. In response to a question about Muqtada al-Sadr’s claims that Iran should not turn Iraq into a place of conflict with the United States and the purpose of the recent rocket attacks on the Green Zone in Iraq, he said, “I said last week that in our view, attacks on diplomatic and residential premises are completely rejected. Iranian diplomatic facilities in Iraq have been attacked several times.” What Trump and Pompeo claimed are both condemned and rejected, he said, adding that the type, timing, and content of such claims and tweets are questionable and suspicious. “We have made our message clear, while we do not seek tension, we defend the interests and national security of Iran with all our might”, he stressed. According to Khatibzadeh Iran has never been willing to resolve its issues in another region and it is the United States who has made the countries of region bases of insecurity against Iran. Referring to the arrival of the Martyrdom anniversary of the Lt. General Ghasem Suleimani, he said that the ‘martyrdom’ in the path of right is the only way to defeat extremism. General Suleimani was not only the commander of the Quds Force but also one of the pillars of regional balance and one of the most peaceful figures in the region, who had relations with the leaders of different countries, he noted. He went on to say that the US made a big strategic mistake through the assassination of General Soleimani, saying, “We will seriously pursue this issue in the courts and international organization after January 20, 2021.” Khatibzadeh, also, made some remarks in reaction to the French Foreign Ministry statement claiming that Iran’s parliament’s measures in terms of reducing its commitments to JCPOA jeopardize European efforts to return to the agreement. Europe is responsible for the non-implementation of the JCPOA, he said adding that if the other parties fulfill their obligations effectively, Iran will reverse all five steps. Answering a question about the claims of the German Foreign Minister that Iran should not miss the opportunity of diplomatic relations with the United States, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that countries, themselves, decide how to cooperate with other countries. The United States has caused a lot of damages to Iran, he said, adding that the first step for the United States is to return to its obligations under Resolution 2231. Source: Iranian Agencies