Iran Summons Turkish Ambassador over Anti-Tehran Remarks, Says Iran’s Patience Has Limits

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Tehran demanding an explanation for recent provocative comments made by senior Turkish officials in Bahrain and Germany.

Turkey’s Ambassador to Tehran Reza Hakan Tekin went to Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday for talks about the recent anti-Iran stances that ranking Turkish officials have taken in international meetings.

In a recent visit to Bahrain, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accused Iran of seeking disintegration of Iraq and Syria and growing influence in the region.

Moreover, at the 53rd Munich Security Conference in Germany, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized what he called an Iranian “sectarian policy” aimed at undermining Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Iran has always announced that its policy is based on non-interference in the internal affairs of others and rejection of tension in the region, stressing that the country’s primary purpose is to counter terrorism and restore stability to the Middle East, tasnim News Agency reported.

 Iran Warns Turkey to Avoid Pushing Tehran’s Patience to Limits

The Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Monday cautioned Turkish officials to watch their words about Iran, warning that Iran’s patience has a limit.

“Turkeys is one of our important neighbors and it has enjoyed much of our assistance, especially after the failed coup (in Turkey last year),” Qassemi told reporters in a press conference in Tehran.

“We hope that they speak about Iran more wisely to not make us respond. We will be patient with Turkey but patience has limits,” he added, according to Fars News Agency.

Iran’s foreign ministry had also on Sunday dismissed as unconstructive Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s recent anti-Iran claims, saying Turkey and certain other countries are responsible for instability and insecurity in the Middle-East.

“Those who have carried out meddlesome, illegal and illegitimate measures, supported terrorist groups and caused bloodshed and escalation of tensions and instability in the region cannot evade liability for such moves by playing a blame game,” Qassemi said.

They cannot free themselves from their self-imposed quagmire by leveling accusations against others, he added.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s regional policy has always been and will be based on maintaining the stability and security of all countries and neighbors,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

Qassemi emphasized that many fair governments and nations in the region and across the world have acknowledged such a policy pursued by Iran and welcome it.

FM Raps Saudi Arabia for Sending Contradictory Messages to Tehran

The Iranian foreign ministry also lashed out at Saudi Arabia for sending confused messages to Tehran, expressing the hope that a united voice would be heard from Riyadh one day.

“We are facing a serious paradox in a country in the [Persian] Gulf region and don’t know who and which group is ruling it. We sometimes receive positive messages via different channels and as many times we hear and receive negative positions from these countries. We should see who is ruling the country and which policy he is pursuing in the region and in relations with Iran,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told the reporters in implied reference to Saudi Arabia, according to Fars news agency.

“We are waiting to receive a specific voice from the ruling majority of this country and continue our path accordingly,” he added.

Qassemi underlined that despite the unjust remarks and allegations made by the Saudi officials against Tehran, Iran will continue its constructive policies to establish peace, security and stability in the region.

In relevant remarks earlier today, Qassemi blasted Saudi and Israeli officials for making allegations against Iran, and said the animosity by Riyadh and Tel Aviv is no coincidence.

“Many evidence and facts point to the coordination and collaboration between these two regimes on regional cases, and they both attempt to provoke the international atmosphere against our country as a means to compensate for their numerous failures and defeats,” Qassemi said.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that of course, the discourse used by these two accomplices in fight against oppressed people of the region is nothing but a repetitive discourse which indicates a painful desperation and despair.

“What is more deplorable is that the Zionist official has so clearly counted on the collaboration of a Muslim country for advancing its usual anti-Iranian policies,” he said.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that the repetition of a baseless and absurd claim by Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister about the sources of terrorism and ISIL supporters can never allow the ideological, educational, financial and intelligence ties between the Saudi regime and the terrorists whose crimes against innocent people of the region and the world are known to all be forgotten.

Qassemi’s comments came in reaction to anti-Iran remarks made by Saudi Foreign Minster Adel al-Jubeir and Israeli officials in recent days.

H.M