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| Salehi invites British charge d’affaires to discuss Tajik case |
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 TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi recently invited British Charge d’Affaires Jane Marriott and discussed with him the situation of Iran’s former ambassador to Jordan, Nosratollah Tajik, who is under house arrest in Britain based on false allegations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast made the announcement during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday in response to a question about the British government’s refusal to extend the visas of the family of Tajik, who is accused by the United States of arms smuggling.
The foreign minister discussed the issue with the British charge d’affaires, and Marriott promised to confer with the British officials about the matter, Mehmanparast stated.
Commenting on the fact that Taijk is under house arrest, Mehmanparast said, “The move runs contrary to the international and moral principles. And we call on the British officials to (take the measures necessary to) release him as soon as possible.”
STL seeking to shatter Lebanese unity
Asked about the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, Mehmanparast said, “Those who are seeking this issue with political purposes, have targeted unity in Lebanon. And we regard any political measure taken with the aim of interfering in internal affairs of Lebanon and undermining unity in Lebanon as being in the Zionist regime’s interests.”
U.S. officials are disgracing themselves
Replying to a question about the appointment of former Maldivian foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed as Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Iran, Mehmanparast said, “The issue of human rights should be meticulously pursued, and human dignity should be (respected), but the human rights issue should not be used as a political tool.”
He also pointed to the recent remarks that Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, the U.S. representative to the UN Human Rights Council, have made about Iran’s decision to prohibit the entry of the UN Special Rapporteur, and said, “The U.S. officials, who are using the international institutions as a tool, are disgracing themselves.”
Claims about Iran’s assistance to terrorists a big lie
Mehmanparast also commented on U.S. claims that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is providing terrorist groups based in certain countries with weapons, describing them as “a big lie.”
According to Bloomberg, Robert Gates, a few days prior to his retirement as U.S. defense secretary, claimed that Iran is “furnishing new, more deadly weapons to Shiite Muslim militias targeting U.S. troops in Iraq as part of a pattern of renewed attempts to exert influence in the region.”
No new nuclear deal between Iran, Russia
On the reports saying that Iran and Russia have signed a new nuclear agreement, he said, “No confirmed report about such an agreement is available.”
Iran welcomes al-Tayyib’s plan to travel to Iran
Mehmanparast also welcomed the fact that Ahmad al-Tayyib, the chancellor of Al-Azhar University of Islamic Sciences, has announced his interest in visiting Iran.
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| Last Updated on 05 July 2011 16:34 |