IRAN is proud of the fact that the USA opposes its involvement in the coalition against the Islamic State, a senior Iranian MP has declared.
Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman, Seyyed Hoseyn Naqavi-Hoseyni, stated on Sunday: ‘Iran does not need to be a member of American’s coalition and in fact, we are happy and consider it a source of pride that America opposes Iran’s presence in the coalition against the Da’ish (IS).’
The Iranian MP added that the Islamic State was formed by the USA, Israel and some of their allies in the region. He noted that Iran believes the USA is not really interested in fighting against the IS.
‘The Islamic Republic (of Iran) remains on the frontline of the fight against terrorist groups,’ Naqavi-Hoseyni said.
Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani warned the USA to avoid attacking Syria ‘under the pretext’ of the fight against IS.
‘Be careful not to make another mistake and set a fire in the region by carrying out other missions in one or two other countries under the pretext of (fighting against) Da’ish (IS). In that case you will not be able to control the region,’ Larijani said.
Elsewhere in his speech the Iranian speaker said: ‘Let them (US) not think that they can attack Syria as well, under that pretext of shelling Da’ish.’ He added that if that happens, the whole region will stand up against Americans. Larijani also criticised the USA for forming a coalition against the IS.
‘Where is the logic when they say that they have formed a coalition to fight against Da’ish? There is a number of Arabs from the region and a number of Westerners (in this coalition). Well, does international order not exist in this world? Go and get permission (for that) from the (UN) Security Council,’ he said. He also rapped the USA for imposing sanctions on Russia.
‘When they see that they cannot reach their goals through the United Nations or the Security Council, they form a coalition. Like the coalitions they formed for sanctioning Iran, and the coalition they have formed now against Russia,’ Larijani said.
A senior border guard commander on Saturday 13 September emphasised his force’s full preparedness to defend Iran’s Western borders, and said the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group doesn’t dare to attack the country.
There is no problem at the country’s borders and Iranian borders enjoy full security,’ Commander of the Western province of Kermanshah’s Border Guards Brigadier-General Kiumars Sheykhi said on Saturday.
He downplayed the military power of the terrorist groups, specially the ISIL, in the region, and said the foreign media have attempted to exaggerate their power.
‘The ISIL doesn’t dare to approach the Islamic Republic of Iran’s borders and is too small to make a move against us,’ Sheykhi underlined.
‘The Iranian military and Law Enforcement forces are prepared to give a crushing response to any threatening move against the security of our bordering areas,’ he added. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hoseyn Amir-Abdollahian voiced his doubt about the US government’s intention to fight terrorism in the region.
In a meeting with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in South Africa, the visiting Iranian official cautioned against ‘the destructive consequences of the use of terrorism as a tool’ and the spread of extremism in the world.
He also pointed to the latest developments in Iraq and Syria as well as the formation of a US-led coalition against the ISIL terrorist group, and said: ‘There are serious doubts over the US intentions to fight terrorism.’
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a militant group in Iraq and Syria believed to be supported by the West and some regional Arab countries. The terrorist group claims as an independent state the territory of Iraq and Syria, with implied future claims intended over more of the Levant, including Lebanon, occupied Palestine, Jordan, Cyprus, and Southern Turkey.
‘Unfortunately, terrorist activities have spread into West Africa and thus the need for greater regional cooperation is being felt,’ the Iranian diplomat said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir Abdollahian attached great significance to Iran-South Africa relations in the area of economy and emphasised the necessity to facilitate the activities of the two countries’ private sectors.
Earlier this week, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for African and Middle Eastern affairs paid an official visit to South Africa to discuss expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tehran and Cape Town. The Commander of Iran’s Basij volunteer force has said that the Islamic State’s main base is the White House.
Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Naqdi, addressing a conference in Yazd Province, said: ‘The command centre of the Islamic State is America’s White House. ‘America has itself commissioned this cancerous gland and deviant current in the region, and its intention to fight against the Islamic State is in continuation of the same evil plan.’
He also enumerated four major goals pursued by commissioning the Islamic State.
He said: ‘America’s first goal in commissioning this criminal current is to present a deformed image of Islam, and this goal was achieved by the inhumane and brutal crimes committed by this group and their display by world media.’
He added: ‘The second goal was to cause dispersion, hostility and war between Shi’is and Sunnis.’
Commenting on the third goal behind the creation of the Islamic State, General Naqdi said: ‘After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the anti-arrogance and anti-American forces accepted the Islamic establishment (in Iran) as the symbol and model of the fight against arrogance (reference to the USA) and created a huge force against the arrogance under the banner of the Islamic Revolution; if the process of attracting these anti-arrogance forces by the Islamic Revolution had continued under the wise guidance of the Islamic establishment and its supreme leader, a huge and uncontrollable force would have been formed.
‘Following this, America commissioned Al-Qaeda current. America attempted to create a radical and controllable current to attract the huge anti-arrogance forces.
‘In this respect with the guidance of the American administration, an Al-Qaeda deviant current even destroyed New York’s twin towers and paved the way for the creation of an apparent anti-American and radical front.’
General Naqdi said that America’s other goal was to use the presence of the Islamic State as an excuse for its intervention and military aggression in the Middle East.
Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said the USA is seeking to prolong its monopoly over the world and is violating the sovereignty of countries under the guise of fighting terrorism.
He described as ‘suspicious and elusive acts’ the US attempts to establish an anti-terrorism coalition in coordination with a number of countries which themselves are among the major supporters of terrorists in the world.
The top security official also said the American measures serve to divert the international public opinion from its pivotal role in supporting and equipping the terrorists in Syria under the cover of helping them topple the illegal rulers in Syria.
Shamkhani also said the USA intended to portray the image of a hero to save itself from the self-made crisis. Elsewhere in his remarks, the SNSC chief also stressed that creating an international consensus to conduct a sincere, transparent and indiscriminate campaign against terrorism was Iran’s unchangeable policy.
He said the world community too favours Iran’s pioneering role in fighting terrorism and organised crimes. He also announced that improving economic conditions during the past year was among the most important measures taken to reduce security hazards.
Shamkhani said the fact that the security crisis in Iraq has had no effects on Iran indicates the cultural and social maturity of the Iranian nation as well as the competence of Iran’s security and information systems.
He described Iran as a safe haven and symbol of stability in such a chaotic region as the Middle East.