TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Wednesday denounced “hackneyed and groundless” accusations leveled against Iran in the final communiqué of the Supreme Council of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
In a statement, Khatibzadeh dismissed the council’s final statement at the end of its 42nd meeting held in Riyadh on Iran’s regional activities.
The spokesman said such statements reveal that some members of the GCC refuse to cast off their unconstructive and inappropriate attitudes towards Iran.
“There were expectations that following the recent diplomatic measures and moves between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, we would witness a new outlook from the council toward regional cooperation,” he said.
The spokesman also called on a few GCC members that keep hiding behind the council and adopt unconstructive stances in the name of the council to reconsider their approaches about regional issues and replace their hackneyed allegations with the path of cooperation.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran would not tolerate any interference in its peaceful nuclear program, its defense and missile program, and affairs relating to its military and deterrent defense policies,” Khatibzadeh underlined.
He also reasserted Iran’s sovereignty over three Persian Gulf islands, saying the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa are an integral part of Iran’s territory forever.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran slams any claim to those islands as interference in its internal affairs and territorial sovereignty, and strongly condemns it.”
Khatibzadeh said all measures taken by Iran on the three islands have been in line with the inalienable rights and in accordance with the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Based on its strategic view and principled policies, the Islamic Republic wants any solution to regional problems to be based on interaction and cooperation with its neighbors, and welcomes any initiative for promotion of relations on the basis of international principles and laws, he added.