European Diplomats, UAE Envoy Summoned
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran summoned diplomats from Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands early Sunday for harboring "members of the terrorist group" that launched an attack in the country's oil-rich southwest, martyring 25 people and wounding over 60.
The British charge d’affaires, along with the Dutch and Danish ambassadors, were "informed of Iran’s strong protests over their respective countries’ hosting of some members of the terrorist group” which carried out the attack.
Iran called on Denmark and the Netherlands to extradite the attack’s "perpetrators and their accomplices” to stand trial, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.
"It is not acceptable that the European Union does not blacklist members of these terrorist groups as long as they do not perpetrate a crime on ... European soil,” Qasemi said.
The British charge d’affaires, summoned in the ambassador’s absence, was told it was unacceptable "that the spokesman for the Al-Ahvazi terrorist group was allowed to claim responsibility of the attack through a London-based TV network”.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the United Arab Emirates’ charge d’affaires over "idiotic” comments about the terrorist attack.
"Following idiotic remarks by an Emirati political adviser on the terrorist attack in Ahvaz, the United Arab Emirates' charge d'affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the head of the relevant political office and the Islamic Republic of Iran's strong protest at the irresponsible and insulting remarks was conveyed to him," Qasemi said.
"At the meeting, the Emirati charge d'affaires was warned that the blatant support for terrorist acts by an individual affiliated to the official Emirati agencies will bear responsibility for the UAE government, and indifference to it will not be acceptable," he added.
The summon came after Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political adviser to Emirati Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed, said the attack in Ahvaz was justified and that "attacking a military target is not a terrorist act".
"Moving the battle deeper inside Iran is a declared option and will increase during the next phase,” he added.
The British charge d’affaires, along with the Dutch and Danish ambassadors, were "informed of Iran’s strong protests over their respective countries’ hosting of some members of the terrorist group” which carried out the attack.
Iran called on Denmark and the Netherlands to extradite the attack’s "perpetrators and their accomplices” to stand trial, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.
"It is not acceptable that the European Union does not blacklist members of these terrorist groups as long as they do not perpetrate a crime on ... European soil,” Qasemi said.
The British charge d’affaires, summoned in the ambassador’s absence, was told it was unacceptable "that the spokesman for the Al-Ahvazi terrorist group was allowed to claim responsibility of the attack through a London-based TV network”.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the United Arab Emirates’ charge d’affaires over "idiotic” comments about the terrorist attack.
"Following idiotic remarks by an Emirati political adviser on the terrorist attack in Ahvaz, the United Arab Emirates' charge d'affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the head of the relevant political office and the Islamic Republic of Iran's strong protest at the irresponsible and insulting remarks was conveyed to him," Qasemi said.
"At the meeting, the Emirati charge d'affaires was warned that the blatant support for terrorist acts by an individual affiliated to the official Emirati agencies will bear responsibility for the UAE government, and indifference to it will not be acceptable," he added.
The summon came after Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political adviser to Emirati Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed, said the attack in Ahvaz was justified and that "attacking a military target is not a terrorist act".
"Moving the battle deeper inside Iran is a declared option and will increase during the next phase,” he added.