Israel’s accusation of Iran’s involvement in ship attack ‘childish’, influenced by Zionist lobby: Foreign Ministry
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said recent accusations leveled against Tehran by the illegal Zionist entity and the United States about attacking an Israeli regime-owned merchant ship in the Sea of Oman are “childish” and influenced by the Zionist lobby in the United States.
According to Press TV, he made the remarks in a Sunday press briefing with the Iranian media, when he was asked about Israel and the US accusing Iran of attacking the Israeli-owned merchant ship off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea.
“The illegitimate Zionist entity must stop leveling baseless charges against Iran. This is not the first time that this regime brings up such accusations [against Tehran],” the spokesman added.
Khatibzadeh noted that such accusations are leveled by the well-known lobby of the Zionist regime in the United States, adding, “The Zionist regime’s officials must know that such projectionist moves will not help them in any way.”
“We must be very cautious not to fall into traps set by the Zionists and the Quds occupying regime in such cases,” he said, adding, "This regime is at the lowest point of legitimacy and is experiencing the most difficult days of its life."
The spokesman emphasized that wherever the Israeli regime has set foot, it has brought nothing but insecurity, violence, terror and war, and those who paved the ground for Tel Aviv’s presence in the region must be held accountable.
‘US hinders agreement in Vienna by failing to fulfill its commitments’
Asked whether the Vienna talks on the revival of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have reached their end, Khatibzadeh said, “Such speculations are of no help in this matter.”
He added that Iran and the remaining parties to the JCPOA reached very important agreements and made good achievements during the Vienna talks, but some problems remain, which are “serious” issues.
"If it were not for these issues, an agreement would have certainly been reached," Khatibzadeh said.
“By lingering on certain issues and putting forth some excessive demands and not complying with its obligations, the US barred Iran and the group 4+1 from reaching an agreement in due time,” the spokesman said.
‘Logic of Imposing sanctions under false pretexts is a failed logic’
In response to a question about a report by the Wall Street Journal about Washington's plan to impose new sanctions on Iran, the Iranian official said the White House is addicted to sanctions.
The spokesman said American officials "have repeatedly admitted that ... the maximum pressure campaign against Iran has not only failed, but also turned into a maximum defeat for the United States."
Imposing sanctions “under baseless pretexts” is a failed logic, Khatibzadeh said, emphasizing, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has been targeted by the US unilateral, extraterritorial and cruel sanctions for over four decades and has proved that they [the US] cannot defeat the [Iranian] nation’s will no matter what they do.”
‘Iran never uses its neighbors to settle scores with other countries’
In response to a question about Iran's reaction to Biden's remarks during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Khatibzadeh said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has never used its neighboring and friendly countries as a place to settle scores with third countries.”
On the contrary, Khatibzadeh added, it is the US that has turned countries in the region into a base for its crimes against regional states.
He noted that Iran regards security, peace, progress and development of its neighbors as its own.
‘US is guilty and cannot go unpunished’
Asked about the latest remarks by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the JCPOA revival talks, Khatibzadeh said the United States is at the last in line to speak about the negotiations because it is a violator of the nuclear deal and a country that has imposed oppressive sanctions on Iran.
The spokesman said: “The United States is guilty and all this injustice to the Iranian nation cannot go unpunished.”
He noted that Iran and the P4+1 group of countries pursued the Vienna talks with seriousness, but the US failed to fulfill its obligations based on UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorse the JCPOA. “When the US fulfills its commitments, an agreement will be achieved.”
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