Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that Riyadh lacks the credibility to accuse other countries of supporting terrorism as Saudi Arabia is seedbed of a fundamental ideology which is the backbone of Takfiri terrorist groups like the ISIL and al-Qaeda. RNA - Qassemi, in remarks that the Foreign Ministry published on its website on Monday, called Saudi Arabia “the true godfather of Takfiri terrorism” in the region and the world, firing back at former Saudi foreign minister, who had blamed the Islamic Republic for backing terrorism.
“As the seedbed of a fundamental ideology, which exports organized terrorism throughout the world, the Saudi government lacks all competence and credibility to level accusations (of backing terrorism) against other countries,” the spokesman said.
Earlier, Adel al-Jubeir, who was demoted to the position of minister of state for foreign affairs in late December, had called Iran a “chief sponsor of terrorism.”
Qassemi said Jubeir towed a long track record of “manufacturing lies and harboring malice” against Iran and its people, saying his remarks did not make Riyadh any less liable for supporting terror.
He advised the Saudi official instead account for “(existence) of deep-seated terrorism inside the ruling structure in Saudi Arabia” and bloodshed of the people of the region and the world at the hands of the terror groups set up by the kingdom.
Qassemi also demanded that the kingdom act as the “raconteur” for the atrocities resulting from the invasion it is leading against Yemen.
Western double-standards and support for the kingdom, however, would shield Riyadh from accountability for its actions, the spokesman concluded.
On Wednesday, members of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) came under a car bomb attack while traveling in the Southwestern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan. Twenty-seven IRGC personnel were killed in the attack claimed by the so-called Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group, which is based in Pakistan and has known links to al-Qaeda and Saudi Arabia.
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said that Tehran held Islamabad responsible for fighting terrorist groups on its soil, adding that reports show that terrorists have opened new training bases and acquired new equipment with funds from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to launch more attacks on Iran from Pakistani soil.
“Secret and semi-secret training camps have been created and equipped by terrorist groups in Pakistan with the money of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to create insecurity inside Iran,” the senior military commander said.
According to Fars News Agancy, if activities of terrorists situated in Pakistani soil continue, Iran has the right to confront them and make necessary decisions, he added,
“If, for whatever reason, the activities of the training centers and shelters of terrorist groups in Pakistan continue, Iran has the right to fight these centers based on UN Charter and will adopt related decisions if required,” he underlined.
On Saturday, Military Aide to the Iranian Supreme Leader Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi slammed Saudi Arabia for supporting the terrorist groups acting against Iran.
General Safavi further pointed to the main backers and sponsors of the terrorist groups operating against Iran from Southwestern Pakistan, and said, "Proof and evidence shows that these terrorist groups are financially sponsored by a number of Persian Gulf Arab states, including one whose crown prince is in Pakistan at present, alluding to Saudi Arabia."
In relevant remarks earlier on the day, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned Riyadh and Abu Dhabi of Iran's revenge for the Wednesday terrorist attack which killed dozens of the IRGC personnel, and blasted Pakistan for supporting the terrorist groups which act against Tehran.
"The traitor governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran's patience has run out and the Islamic Republic will not tolerate your secret supports for the Takfiri grouplets. We will take revenge for our martyrs from the UAE and Saudi governments and want the president to give us more free hands than the past for retaliatory operations," General Jafari said in the Central city of Isfahan, addressing the burial ceremony of the IRGC personnel killed in the Wednesday terrorist attack.
He said that the Saudi and UAE intelligence agencies are clearly hatching different plots to foment insecurity in Southeastern Iran in addition to the US and Israeli plots to create insecurity and conduct assassination operations, noting that Iran has reliable intel in this regard.
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