Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced the West's stance regarding the execution of a number of terrorists in Iran, calling it blatant interference in the country's domestic affairs.
Instead of adopting double standards on the issue of terrorism, the West should show serious resolve in bringing together the global community's "will and efforts to eradicate takfiri terrorism, including the Daesh [the Arabic acronym for the self-styled Islamic State] terrorist group," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Friday, Press TV reported.
Qasemi's comments came after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein criticized Tehran for the execution of 20 terrorists, calling it "injustice". European Union foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, also expressed concern over the executions.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always had a firm policy stance with regard to the fight against terrorism and foreign-backed terrorist groups in the region," he said.
"Iran is a victim of terrorism and will spare no effort to ensure the security of its people."
The Intelligence Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that the convicts, belonging to a terrorist cell, were executed after being sentenced to death for carrying out terrorist attacks in western Iran.
"Based on the information received from the country's judicial sources, the executed terrorists were found guilty of several charges, including attempting to establish a takfiri terrorist group, armed assaults inside the country, killing civilians and assassinating some Sunni Muslim clerics, supplying various types of firearms, making explosives and planting bombs in different parts of some cities," Qasemi said.
The Iranian forces recently clashed with terror groups, thwarting their terrorist activities on the borders and within the country, arresting several of them and confiscating large amounts of explosives and bomb-making materials.
On July 7, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps killed two outlaws affiliated with counter-revolutionary groups in the province of Kurdestan.
In the same month, the Intelligence Ministry said it foiled a major "takfiri-Wahhabi plot" to carry out bomb attacks in the capital Tehran and other provinces and arrested many suspects.
A takfiri regards followers of some Islamic sects who do not follow them as apostates punishable by death.
