TEHRAN, Dec 23 (NNN-IRNA) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry said yesterday that, Western countries have always stoked tensions in the region, in reaction to an anti-Iran joint statement recently issued by foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members and Britain.
British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, met with visiting foreign ministers of the GCC on Monday, and they issued a joint statement after the meeting, voicing “grave concern” about Iran’s regional activities and what they called “nuclear escalation.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, called the claims made through the statement “baseless” and “repetitive,” according to a statement published on the ministry’s website.
He said, the joint statement was issued as part of attempts by certain circles, which are concerned about the creation of an atmosphere of interaction and cooperation among regional countries, to sow discord in the region.
Iran has always played a responsible role in ensuring peace and stability in the region and invited regional states to interact and hold dialogue with each other, Khatibzadeh noted.
The spokesman regretted that some Western countries, through measures, such as exporting modern weaponry to some regional states, are important factors in the region’s tensions and human catastrophes.
On the claim about “nuclear escalation,” Khatibzadeh said, Iran has always remained committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the comprehensive safeguards agreement, and will be able to benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the NPT framework.
