Iran Foreign Ministry categorically rejects GCC, Turkey allegations

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has vehemently rejected allegations leveled in a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the GCC, the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council, and Turkey against the Islamic Republic.  

“Countries whose irresponsible interference in [the affairs of] other states has led to the spread of insecurity, war and terrorism and who have violated the national sovereignty of their neighbors are not in a position to advise others not to interfere in regional affairs,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Following their meeting in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his counterparts from the six Arab countries of the Persian Gulf issued a statement.

In their statement, the foreign ministers of the GCC and Turkey claimed that Iran is interfering in their internal affairs and called on the Islamic Republic to respect their national sovereignty in line with the UN Charter.

In response, the statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the “catastrophic” situation in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Libya is the outcome of meddlesome policies adopted by most of the countries that gathered in Riyadh and who have no option but to blame others for their “failed” strategies.

These countries showed a unilateral reaction to efforts which are underway to fully liberate the strategic northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo from terrorists supported by them, it said, adding that their allegations come as continued crimes by such terrorist groups have created the worst humanitarian situation for people across the war-stricken country.

The statement urged the international community to swiftly adopt measures to put an end to genocide and heinous crimes against humanity in Syria.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry statement also condemned hollow remarks by the GCC states and Turkey about its territorial integrity and national sovereignty over three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, and rejected such remarks as an example of interference in other countries’ affairs.

It went on to say that despite these countries’ call for establishing their ties with all states based on the United Nations Charter and well-known international principles, Iran sees no sincerity in their paradoxical demand and their statement which is filled with allegations and blame game tactics.

The Iranian ministry said claims by the GCC states and Turkey about last year’s nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have not been based on goodwill and added that such allegations are only aimed at guaranteeing a “meddlesome, irresponsible and unfriendly” stance on Iran’s legitimate defense capabilities.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has been among the pioneers of the idea of a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction and if there is honesty and a cordial attitude among such countries, it is ready to cooperate with them to materialize the idea,” the Foreign Ministry said.

In their statement, the foreign ministers of the GCC and Turkey also urged Iran to find a peaceful solution to its dispute with the United Arab Emirates over the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

The islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa have always been part of Iran historically, the proof of which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid baseless claims to the islands.

The GCC-Turkey statement also made interfering remarks about the JCPOA and called on Iran to adhere to the nuclear agreement.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia – plus Germany reached the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015.

Under the JCPOA, which took effect in January, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related bans imposed against Tehran.

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