Anti-Iran Claims by UAE, Bahrain 'Worthless and Unfounded'

Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismissed as “worthless and unfounded” the recent claims by diplomats from Bahrain and the UAE against Tehran in their addresses to the United Nations General Assembly. 

“Iran has always regarded mutual respect and good neighborliness as basic principles of its foreign policy and never pursued nor does it pursue interference in other countries' internal affairs,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a Sunday statement, ISNA reported. 

In his speech at the UNGA, UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan pointed to threats to regional security, accusing Iran of “interference in the affairs of the Arab world”.

“Countries like Iran seek to undermine security efforts by spreading chaos, violence and sectarianism,” he alleged. 

The Arab ally of the United States pointed to the latter's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and its reimposition of sanctions, asserting that it well reflects global concern over Iran's intentions. 

"Iran has not ceased its aggressive behavior in the region and has not abandoned initiatives to develop weapons of mass destruction," he claimed. 

Bahraini Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa also accused Iran of hampering efforts to achieve lasting peace, security and sustainable development in the regional countries. 

"The extremist ideology it disseminates is threatening the ambitions and aspirations of people who have coexisted for many centuries," he claimed. 

The minister of the tiny Persian Gulf state accused Iran of interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and Morocco, and welcomed the US strategy toward the Iranian government. 

> Delusional Minds 

Qasemi said the statements have stemmed from “delusional minds” and invited the Arab diplomats to take note of Iran's efforts to ensure security, stability and regional cooperation as well as its role in reducing tensions and misunderstandings in the region instead of “pointlessly making baseless accusations against Iran every day”.

He advised the authorities of Bahrain and UAE against following dictated policies that threaten the interests of regional countries and the Muslim world.

"Bahraini, Emirati and Saudi foreign ministers' support of the Zionist regime's anti-Iranian and hostile policies will only legitimize the crimes of this regime and delegitimize their own administrations," he said. 

Qasemi maintained that Arab states' wrong strategy would make it "harder and lengthier" for Muslim countries of the region to establish mutual trust.