Iran blasts German FM’s ‘baseless’ remarks, urges Berlin apology for chemical weapons

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has strongly condemned anti-Iran remarks made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, saying the comments were aimed at harming Tehran-Baghdad relations.

Nasser Kan’ani made the remarks on Wednesday, a day after Baerbock accused Iran of jeopardizing the “stability” of the region with its missile attacks, particularly on Iraqi territory.

Kan’ani said the German foreign minister must apologize for the past “shameful behavior” of her government toward the two nations instead of trying to hide the history of Germany’s crimes by making “baseless” claims against the Islamic Republic.

Germany supported Saddam Hussein’s regime during its eight-year war against Iran, he said, adding that Berlin equipped the Ba’athist regime with chemical weapons in order to use them against defenseless Iranian and Iraqi soldiers and civilians.

“Unfortunately, a significant number of terrorists and armed separatist groups, who have Iranian and Iraqi civilians’ blood on their hands, have now taken refuge in Germany,” Kan’ani said, reminding Berlin of Iran’s undeniable role in supporting Iraq’s territorial integrity and unity.

On Tuesday, Baerbock called on Iran to cease its missile attacks on Iraqi territory, claiming that the strikes put both civilians and regional stability at risk.

“It is unacceptable and dangerous for the whole region,” she said at a news conference with her Iraqi counterpart.

In November last year, Iran targeted the positions of terrorist groups operating near the country’s western borders in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

The attacks took place amid reports that terrorists sought to ignite riots and unrest in Iran’s western border cities.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman also noted that Baerbock’s anti-Iran remarks show that Berlin still supports armed terrorists and separatists against the Islamic Republic and makes fruitless efforts to damage the relations between the two neighbors.

Kan’ani also stressed that regional nations will never forget how certain Western states, including Germany, have waged wars and supported war-mongering dictators across the region.

Iran has on many occasions warned Iraqi Kurdistan’s local authorities that it will not tolerate the presence and activity of terrorist groups along its northwestern borders, saying the country will give a decisive response should those areas become a hub of anti-Islamic Republic terrorists.

Back in May 2022, the IRGC struck and demolished positions of terrorist groups operating near the country’s western borders in Iraq’s northern Kurdish regional capital of Erbil.

Also in September 2021, the IRGC launched an attack in northern Iraq, where it destroyed four bases belonging to hostile groups.

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