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US Should Stop Blaming Iran for Its Own Crimes

US Should Stop Blaming Iran for Its Own Crimes
US Should Stop Blaming Iran for Its Own Crimes

Iran hit back at renewed US accusations of engagement in "malign" activity in the region and beyond leveled by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.  

"The US is undoubtedly the main culprit behind the instability, spread of extremism, escalated hostility and violence and the growth of terrorism in the region and the whole world," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bahram Qasemi was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying on Tuesday.

Pompeo claimed in an interview with the BBC published earlier in the day that the best way of avoiding an escalation of conflict in the region is to make sure the Iranian people understood the cost of their government's activities, not just in the region but also in Europe.  

"I hope that they will rise up and understand that it is not the best interests of their country to send forces to places like Europe as proxies to try and conduct malign activity in Europe when there's so much that can be done to make Iran a better place," he said.

"We are confident that the Iranian people will understand that. We are hopeful that their leaders will accept that proposition as well."

Pompeo cited an alleged Iranian role behind the missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi forces at Saudi Arabia, describing it as "unacceptable" and an act of war.

Iran has vehemently denied charges of supplying arms to Yemen.

  Blatant Meddling

Qasemi condemned the comments by the CIA chief as a blatant example of the "illegitimate, interventionist" policies of the United States.

"The repetition of such nasty remarks is only aimed at stoking division among Muslim nations and reflects the US insistence on its excessive demands," the spokesperson added.

Pompeo also challenged the idea that the US had little influence on the conflict in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad is still in power and backed by Russian and Iranian support. "We're going to work on those complicated problem sets and push back against the Iranians everyplace we can," he said.

It emerged last year that he had written to Major General Qasem Soleimani—the head of the Quds force, the overseas arm of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps—to warn him that any attacks on US interests would not go unpunished.  "I wanted to send a clear message to Qasem Soleimani that there are American interests—there are western interests, British interests and others—and an attack on those will be met with an equal response. He should be deeply aware that it is intolerable for the Iranians to take on American interests," he contended.

Hawkish US President Donald Trump sees Iran's growing missile program and regional clout as a threat to US regional interests and has called for them to be rolled back. The Islamic Republic has rejected those demands.

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