MOSCOW (Dispatches) -- The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) says the U.S. and the UK should leave Iran alone and mind their own business.
Sergei Naryshkin was quoted by RT as saying that he would advise the “Anglo-Saxons to take care of their own internal civil conflicts. Or better yet, go to their old pal – the devil.”
He made the remarks commenting on the U.S. and UK’s policies towards Iran at a security forum outside Moscow attended by foreign security officials.
Naryshkin said Washington and London are dismayed by the success of China in reconciling Iran and Saudi Arabia, and view the normalization in a strictly negative light.
The official said the two allies are wary that Beijing’s diplomatic activities in the region could undermine their long-term strategy to weaken the Islamic Republic.
He said American and British government agencies have been tasked with derailing China’s diplomatic efforts and discrediting its role as a mediator.
Citing to this effect in Western media, he said the U.S. and the UK are unlikely to succeed with their supposed smear campaign “in the new geopolitical reality.”
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in March to restore diplomatic ties, and soon afterwards announced plans to open their respective embassies under the China-brokered deal.
On Tuesday, Iran appointed its new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, following a similar move by the Saudi kingdom.
The Russian intelligence chief accused the U.S. of training Daesh members for acts of sabotage in Russia in its Al-Tanf military base located in Syria near the Arab country’s borders with Jordan and Iraq.
“According to our information, the U.S.’ al-Tanf military base

located on the border of Syria, Jordan and Iraq is used to train Daesh militants for carrying out subversive acts; moreover, not only on Syrian territory but also in Russian regions,” the foreign intelligence chief was quoted as saying by RT.
The Unites States continues to keep its illegal military presence in northeastern Syria, occupying part of the sovereign state, Naryshkin said.
He also said the U.S. is waging an economic war in the form of sanctions against Damascus, which prevents the restoration of the country.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the official accused Washington and London of thwarting efforts to reach a settlement over the conflict in Ukraine and of turning a blind eye to increasing “terrorism and violence” inflicted on civilians by Ukraine.
Naryshkin also expressed satisfaction that most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have not imposed sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, despite what he called colossal pressure from Washington to do so.
Naryshkin accused the West of trying to resist a shift towards a multipolar world, and doing all it can to stop other powers from rising.
Russia’s top intelligence official argued that Western powers could play a role in ensuring global security and prosperity, but only as one of numerous centers of a multipolar world.
However, the “insane vanity” of these nations precludes them from acting on an equal footing with other players, Naryshkin added.
“Turbulent periods (in world history) are essentially a test of the extent to which nations and peoples have preserved their true foundations,” said Naryshkin.
“Our countries, unlike the West, have preserved a significant margin of strength and strategic depth in this respect,” he said.
Quoting from the Bible, the Russian official added that “their end will correspond to their deeds,” and predicted that America and Britain’s fate “will be sad.”