DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian says whenever Iran has willed, it has responded to the Zionist regime inside Tel Aviv.
In a meeting with representatives of Palestinian resistance groups here on, the minister berated the occupying regime of Israel’s claim about Iran’s attempt to target Zionist tourists in Turkey.
“This is a fake scenario by the Zionists; we have nothing whatsoever to do with a bunch of old female Israeli tourists,” Amir-Abdollahian said.
During a visit to Turkey last month, Zionist foreign minister Yair Lapid claimed in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu that Iran was behind attempted terrorist attacks against Israelis in Istanbul.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the allegations fall within the framework of a plot orchestrated by the child-murdering and rogue regime aimed at sowing discord between the two neighboring Muslim countries.
“Turkey is well aware of the baseless nature of claims made by the representative of the deceitful regime and Zionist terrorists. It is expected not to remain silent in the face of these divisive comments. The regime has repeatedly shown how unreliable it is.”
On Friday, Amir-Abdollahian stressed that the Islamic Republic did not need to target ordinary people in his retaliation of the Zionist regime’s terrorist acts.
“Whenever we have willed, we have responded to the Zionist regime inside Tel Aviv,” he said.
In a joint news conference, Amir-Abdollahian and his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad also reiterated their countries’ absolute determination to resolve problems in the region and confront the Zionist regime.
Amir-Abdollahian said Syria is at the forefront of the fight against the fake and occupying Israeli regime, adding that the Syrian government, leadership, and people will not allow the Zionists to threaten the regional security.
“We continue to offer unwavering support for the resistance to ensure lasting security in the region against the threats posed by the fake Israeli regime,” the top Iranian diplomat said.
Amir-Abdollahian also condemned Israeli aggression against Syria. “Iran will continue supporting Syria to counter the terrorist war it has been facing,” he said.
The minister said relations between Iran and Syria are strategic. “We proudly announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran has never and will never leave its friends and allies alone in difficult times.”
Mekdad, for his part, condemned Western efforts to expand the circle of terrorism and war in the region and warned the Zionist regime that Syria is capable of responding to its attacks.
“We tell Israel that the U.S.-backed power has its limits and Israel must know that its attacks will not go unanswered,” the top Syrian diplomat added.
The occupying regime of Israel
frequently targets military positions inside Syria. The Zionist regime mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on Syrian territories which many view as a knee-jerk reaction to the Syrian government’s increasing success in confronting terrorism.
Israel has been the main supporter of terrorist groups that have opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad since foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria.
President Assad has hailed Iran as “part of the solution” to regional problems.
In his talks with Amir-Abdollahian, the Syrian leader said a new situation is emerging that “will tilt the balance of power in the region in our favor”.
He censured Western countries for inciting tensions in Syria with the aim of getting back at the Syrian government and gain concessions.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Assad called the Tehran-Damascus relationship a “strategic alliance” which has been constantly improving in the last forty years.
He also said Palestine is an issue of common concern for Iran and Syria, adding that an “alliance of wills” has been formed in the region to confront hegemonic powers.