FM Zarif Blasts Saudi DM for Threatening Iran

Rasa - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in remarks alluding to Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman's earlier threats against Iran blamed Riyadh for the Wednesday terrorist attacks in Tehran.

News ID: 430195

Date: 08 June 2017 - 22:46

RNA - "Terror-sponsoring despots threaten to bring the fight to our homeland. Proxies attack what their masters despise most: the seat of democracy," Zarif wrote on his twitter page on Thursday morning after terrorists attacked the Iranian parliament and the holy shrine of late Imam Khomeini in Tehran on Wednesday morning.

His remarks alluded to the comments made by bin Salman a few weeks ago, warning that his country would take the battle to Iranian soil.

The 31-year-old prince who is second in line to the throne and serves as defense minister, said early May that Saudi Arabia would fight what he called Iran’s efforts to extend its influence.

“We are a primary target for the Iranian regime,” bin Salman added, accusing Iran of seeking to take over Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

“We won’t wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia. Instead, we’ll work so that the battle is for them in Iran,” he added.

Also, just hours before the two terrorist attacks in Tehran which killed and wounded several people, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir underlined that Iran must be punished for what he claimed as interference in the region and support for terrorist organizations.

Jubeir, who was in Paris, claimed that Iran is a host for some Al-Qaeda leaders as well as other commanders from other terrorist organizations.

The minister further urged Iran not to interfere, alleging that Tehran is the number one supporter for terrorism in the world.

For Iran to be a “normal state,” it must respect international law, he said, adding that the Iranian government’s “political ideas” are completely rejected.

Four unknown male assailants attacked the parliament building in Iranian capital, killing and scores of people in the hallway on Wednesday morning. Also, another group of terrorists raided the holy shrine of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, South of the Tehran on Wednesday morning, killing and wounding tens of people in a bomb attack and a shooting spree.

The Iranian security and Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces killed all the four terrorists who attacked the parliament building on Wednesday morning, bringing the situation under control after several hours of clashes on evening.

Meantime, caretaker of Iran's emergency unit Pirhossein Kolivand announced that the number of martyred people in the two terrorist attacks on the parliament and the holy shrine of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, in Tehran has increased to 13, adding that 52 people were wounded.

The ISIL terrorist group claimed responsibility for the Wednesday morning terrorist attacks at the Iranian parliament and the holy shrine of late Imam Khomeini in Tehran.

Amaq news website affiliated to the ISIL reported that the Takfiri terrorist group has claimed the responsibility for the terrorist attacks in Tehran.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani in a message on Wednesday said the twin attacks in Tehran were committed by the terrorists who have been hired by his country's enemies to strike at Tehran for their frequent losses in the region, ensuring that his nation would enhance the war on terrorism more resolutely.

Also, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon vowed to take revenge for the twin terrorist attacks.

"The public opinion in the world, specially the Iranian nation sees this terrorist action that happened a week after the joint meeting of the US president with the heads of one of the reactionary regional states that has constantly been supporting Takfiri terrorists as to be very meaningful, and believes that ISIL's acknowledging the responsibility indicates their complicity in this wild move," the IRGC statement said.

The powerful military force further warned that it would not miss a single moment to avenge the incident, saying, "The IRGC has proved that it would not leave unanswered the shedding of innocent blood and it ensures the Iranian nation that it will not hesitate even for a moment to protect the country's national security and the lives of the dear people, as it killed all these terrorists with the help of the Law Enforcement Force today."

Meantime, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described the twin terrorist attacks in Tehran as insignificant moves, saying that such incidents prove the country's strategy of resistance and war on terrorism was well-thought and insightful.

"The Iranian nation is moving ahead and the fumbling with firecrackers performed today will leave no impact on people's willpower," Ayatollah Khamenei said at a meeting with a group of students and representatives from the university student associations from across the nation here in Tehran on Wednesday evening.

"Everyone should know that they are too little to be able to influence the willpower of the Iranian nation and the country's officials. And these incidents, of course, revealed if the Islamic Republic had not displayed resistance at the heart of all this conspiracy, we would’ve had much more trouble of this sort in the country. God willing, they will bite the dust," he added.

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