Iran has condemned the Arab League for repeating a set of “worthless” accusations against the Islamic Republic, calling the Cairo-based organization to shift focus onto the Israeli regime’s atrocities against Palestinians instead.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani was reacting to a statement issued at a gathering of the so-called Quartet Committee on the sidelines of the 158th meeting of foreign ministers of the Arab League on Tuesday.
The participants reiterated territorial claims to the Iranian islands, accused Tehran of interfering in Yemen and the affairs of other Arab countries, and called for participation in the negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program and for the inclusion of Iran’s conventional missile program in those talks.
Kanaani advised the four countries — namely Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain — to rather focus on the Israeli regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinians instead of issuing such “repetitious and worthless” accusations against Iran.
“Issuing such statements indicates the aforesaid countries fail to properly understand the course of regional developments and ignore the truth about the West Asia region,” he said.
He criticized the “contradictory” stance of some of those countries, which issue such statements in parallel with making efforts to improve relations with Iran.
The official reiterated the Islamic Republic’s position on inviting its neighbors to negotiations and the settlement of misunderstandings through diplomatic channels.
Kanani also dismissed claims by the four Arab states about the ownership of the three Iranian islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Bu Musa in the Persian Gulf and said Iran’s moves are in accordance with the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemned other countries’ interference in this regard.
He also pointed to the Iranian Armed Forces’ capabilities and competence in safeguarding the Persian Gulf region and their constant vigilance against any kind of maritime mischief and violence, stressing that all regional countries should provide security to the region without any foreign intervention.