The rise in terrorism and the refugee crisis are the byproduct of Europea’s "past mistakes" and "wrong policies" in Syria which helped extremist groups gain foothold and brought Middle East wars to Europe's doorstep, says a former foreign minister.
"What happened in Iraq should have been a lesson. We expected Europe to fight terrorism, but France and Britain were talking only of government change in Syria. It was Iran and Russia who fought the terrorists," Kamal Kharazi, head of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, IRNA reported.
He was referring to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq in pursuit of what Washington claimed was to take out nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that were non-existent.
"Was it not for the Islamic Republic of Iran, Europe would have witnessed more terrorist attacks on its soil," he said, referring to Iran's advisory role to Syria which has been embroiled in a years-long civil war that has caused the biggest influx of refugees and migrants in Europe since World War Two.
Kharazi recalled that it is easy to disrupt and dislodge security in a country but it is very difficult to restore it.
Turkey's Role
Commenting on Turkey's role in the war-torn Arab state, the official said, "The agreement between Russia and Turkey has so far produced good results. There are some differences of opinion between Iran, Russia and Turkey…But overall their cooperation has made Syria more stable."
Ankara is no longer insisting on the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power and the pivot of its current policy in Syria is to fight against Kurdish groups whom it sees as a threat along its border with Syria, he said. Iran is indeed concerned about acts of provocation by foreign elements in the Kurdish regions, he told newspaper.
Asked about Saudi and Israeli support for the United States' anti-Iran policies, the former top diplomat said, "The US has to explain to the world why Iran, as an independent country, is criticized for having military equipment such as missiles to defend itself, while Saudi Arabia and Israel, which enjoy Washington’s backing, have the latest modern military equipment."
US Relations
On the possibility of talks between Iranian and American officials over Tehran's nuclear program, he said, "The US wants to negotiate with Iran. We are not ready for talks with the US because we have experienced negotiating with the US and saw the results."
He was referring to US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran and the six world powers.
Kharazi said Tehran does not "trust" Washington because it has no respect for international law and agreements. "There is no prospect of the US changing its attitude toward Iran."
Unilateral Sanctions
He said renewed US sanctions are not only aimed at Iran but have targeted the entire world, including Europe.
"Such unilateral sanctions are a sign of US bullying, which hurts the interests of all countries.”
“The only way to resist sanctions is to stand up to the US. It is not a question of helping Iran, but rather a matter for the security of European countries' security," he said, in reference to Europe's efforts to save the nuclear agreement after the US exit.
