The Iranian Foreign Minister has accused Washington’s allies in
the Middle East of sponsoring terrorism. Mohammad Javad Zarif was
speaking to CNN, commenting on US President Donald Trump’s apparent
anti-Iranian policy in the region.
In an
exclusive interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Zarif said Trump’s stance
towards Iran, which includes accusations of Tehran sponsoring
terrorism, represented a "misplaced and misguided policy.”
"We know where the terrorists are coming from. We know
those who attacked the World Trade Center were citizens of which
countries in the region – I can tell you none of them came from Iran,” Zarif said.
The FM added that "none of the people who engaged in acts of terrorism since 2001 came from Iran,” pointing out that "most of them came from US allies.”
Out
of the 19 terrorists who hijacked planes on September 11, 2001, fifteen
were Saudi Arabian citizens, two were from UEA while the rest were
Egyptian and a Lebanese.
"Look at ISIS [Islamic State, IS],
look at Nusra [Al-Nusra Front terrorist group], look at Al-Qaeda, look
at other terrorist organizations… none of them have anything to do with
Iran and all of them receive not only their ideology but their financial
assistance, their weapons, their arms from others who call themselves
US allies,” Zarif said.
Trump has branded Iran the main sponsor of terrorism during his US presidential campaign.
During his landmark visit to Saudi Arabia this May, the US president said "until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace, all nations of conscience must work together to isolate Iran.”
Following
the twin IS-linked terror attacks on the Iranian parliament and the
mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in early June, which left 14
dead and 42 injured, Trump went as far to say that it was Tehran’s own
fault: "We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote.”
Zarif dismissed the US leader’s remarks as "repugnant,” while saying that "Iranians counter terror backed by US clients.”
The
US accuses Tehran of supporting various Shia militant groups in the
Middle East and North Africa – including Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah
in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran is also a strong ally
of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whom Washington wanted to be removed
from power. The CNN interview focused on the "endgame” in Syria, which
Zarif believes must come with a ceasefire, without preconditions and
Syrians deciding for themselves who they want as a president.
Zarif
also rejected claims from a group of senators that Iran has violated
the nuclear deal, pointing out that the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), which is the monitoring body in accordance with the deal,
has verified that Tehran has been in full compliance with the agreed
scaleback of its nuclear program.
Zarif accused Washington of violating its part of the deal by calling other states not to do business with Tehran.
