FM: Iran Stands Strong and Firm

Date: 21 December 2022 - 21:25

News ID: ۱۱۰۴۶۲

TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian on Wednesday strongly criticized France’s intervention in Iran’s internal affairs, saying the approach of Paris to the recent developments in the country is “unacceptable.”
Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a post on his Twitter account, following a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna on the sidelines of the Baghdad II Conference in Jordan.
The top Iranian diplomat said the reconsideration of France’s position was discussed during the talks.
“Agreed that the path of dialog and diplomacy is preferable,” he wrote. “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands strong and firm.”
Iran and France have been engaged in a diplomatic row over Paris’ meddlesome stance on a series of violent riots in the Islamic Republic.
The French National Assembly passed a resolution on November 28, condemning what it termed a “crackdown on non-violent demonstrators.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry conveyed its strong protest to the French ambassador in Tehran over the adoption of the “interventionist” anti-Iran resolution at the time, saying the Islamic Republic of Iran regrets that France and some European countries are using the issue of human rights as a tool to pressure the Islamic Republic.
French President Emmanuel Macron even hosted an Iranian-American journalist being paid in Washington on a mission to fuel violence in Iran.
Deadly riots broke out in Iran in mid-September after the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini.
Rioters went on a rampage, attacking security officers and causing damage to public and private property as Western powers provided support.
The European Union and some Western countries imposed sanctions on Iran over its approach toward the riots. Iran, in turn, announced retaliatory sanctions against

institutions and individuals in the European Union due to their deliberate actions in support of terrorism and terrorist groups during the riots.

Amir-Abdollahian also said Saudi Arabia is open to more dialogue with Iran after he met his Saudi counterpart in Jordan.

In an Arabic tweet, the minister said he spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in addition to other counterparts from the region and from France on the sidelines of an Iraq-focused conference in Jordan on Tuesday.

“The Saudi minister assured me of his country’s readiness to continue dialogue with Iran,” he wrote.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 after a crowd stormed the kingdom’s embassy in Tehran following the execution of a prominent Shia leader.

Since April 2021, Iraq has hosted five rounds of direct talks between the two, the latest of which came in April this year. A sixth round has been anticipated for months, with speculation that it could for the first time happen at the level of foreign ministers, but there have been several roadblocks.