Iran to continue wise policy against neighbors: Spox

Tehran– Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Tehran’s policy regarding its neighbors which is based on need for a sustainable peace for regional nations is crystal clear so it will keep up with this wise policy.

Referring to UK decision to place Hezbollah in the list of terrorism sponsors, he said that London has once again committed a strategic mistake which indicates the depth of their misunderstanding of regional issues, IRNA reported.

He said it also revealed the fact the UK maybe facing certain considerations about the regional issues which makes the decision an inaccurate one.

Qasemi believed it also showed that Britain is not paying serious attention to establishing peace and security in the region.

“Hezbollah is a resistance, legal and official force which has struggled to support the Lebanese people and the country’s independence and territorial integrity,” he said.

He further noted that Hezbollah has not just in Lebanon but in other regional states as well managed to work in favor of regional security and independence alongside other freedom seekers who fought against Takfiri terrorists like Daesh.

“Hezbollah also plays a crucial role in Lebanese government, as a number of the country’s ministers and lawmakers are from Hezbollah which is a legal, official and recognized party,” he said.

Reacting to UAE foreign minister’s claims, Qasemi said certain countries raised the claims to cover up their damaging policies.

UAE foreign minister has just repeated his irrelevant and inappropriate remarks which are mainly aimed at pleasing other powers and are baseless, he said.

UAE knows better than others to what extent Iran has worked for regional security and fighting terrorism, he said, noting that Iran’s policy regarding neighbors is based on sustainable calm for regional states.

“We will not allow others to abuse Iran’s goodwill and positive attitude towards neighbors and region and say words just to please others and are not wise,” he said.

These countries and officials should know that security can be achieved only through friendship and all-out cooperation and they should take their eyes off distant points and trans-regional states for attaining security, he said.

As to President Hassan Rouhani’s imminent visit to Iraq, he said that he is slated to visit Iraq before the national new year celebration of Nowruz (March 21).

Describing the trip as important and effective, he added that the visit can be considered a turning point in the two neighbors’ bilateral ties.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Qasemi also commented on EU’s 28 members to exclude Saudi Arabia from the list of terrorists, saying that they are seeking to save the country from a historic predicament.

Saudi Arabia is accused of extremism and promoting Takfiri terrorism in the region, as it faced the accusations from the past as well as murder of a writer which left adverse effects in the world and public opinion, he said, noting that but certain countries are trying to change the situation.

Of course, history is a good judge and realities on the ground can never be masked, especially in today’s world that is a world of information and communications and news can flow freely, Qasemi said.

M.Wassouf