Tehran Slams Canadian FM’s Rude Comments on Ukrainian Plane Crash
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh has lashed out at the "impolite” foreign minister of Canada for his ill-advised remarks about the January crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran while Tehran and Kiev are engaged in talks about the incident.
Asked by reporters about the recent comments from Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne about the process of talks about the Ukrainian plane crash, Khatibzadeh said, "The ill-mannered language, impolite phrases, and very undiplomatic behavior of the minister of foreign affairs of Canada are not something you see behind closed doors.”
The spokesman pointed to a meeting he had attended in Munich, also participated by Champagne and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, saying, "They (Canadians) are more polite behind the closed doors, they sit on two knees (Persian expression that refers to polite behavior), and say what demonstrates a constant request, because they know that they have no legal position in this subject.”
"Unfortunately, statesmanship in the West has now turned into politics in order to garner a few votes from others. I am very, very deeply sorry that the Canadian nation has to witness such a language from such a foreign minister,” Khatibzadeh deplored.
"We recommend that they (Canadian politicians) speak in the same way that they behave and talk behind the closed doors. The etiquette does not allow us to speak like the rude foreign minister of Canada,” he concluded.
The spokesperson was apparently responding to the recent comments from Champagne who said Canada holds Iran accountable.
Ranking diplomats from Iran and Ukraine held the second round of political talks between the two countries in Tehran on Monday.
Diplomats Hold New Round of
Iran-Ukraine Political Talks
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevgheniy Yenin co-chaired the second round of deputy-level political talks.
The two diplomats discussed a range of issues of mutual interest between Iran and Ukraine, reviewed the latest developments of the bilateral ties in the political, economic, cultural, educational and consular fields, and weighed plans for the promotion of relations.
The third round of Iran-Ukraine political negotiations is set to be held in Kiev.
Asked by reporters about the recent comments from Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne about the process of talks about the Ukrainian plane crash, Khatibzadeh said, "The ill-mannered language, impolite phrases, and very undiplomatic behavior of the minister of foreign affairs of Canada are not something you see behind closed doors.”
The spokesman pointed to a meeting he had attended in Munich, also participated by Champagne and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, saying, "They (Canadians) are more polite behind the closed doors, they sit on two knees (Persian expression that refers to polite behavior), and say what demonstrates a constant request, because they know that they have no legal position in this subject.”
"Unfortunately, statesmanship in the West has now turned into politics in order to garner a few votes from others. I am very, very deeply sorry that the Canadian nation has to witness such a language from such a foreign minister,” Khatibzadeh deplored.
"We recommend that they (Canadian politicians) speak in the same way that they behave and talk behind the closed doors. The etiquette does not allow us to speak like the rude foreign minister of Canada,” he concluded.
The spokesperson was apparently responding to the recent comments from Champagne who said Canada holds Iran accountable.
Ranking diplomats from Iran and Ukraine held the second round of political talks between the two countries in Tehran on Monday.
Diplomats Hold New Round of
Iran-Ukraine Political Talks
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevgheniy Yenin co-chaired the second round of deputy-level political talks.
The two diplomats discussed a range of issues of mutual interest between Iran and Ukraine, reviewed the latest developments of the bilateral ties in the political, economic, cultural, educational and consular fields, and weighed plans for the promotion of relations.
The third round of Iran-Ukraine political negotiations is set to be held in Kiev.