Khatibzadeh made the comment on Thursday, a day after PGCC foreign ministers issued a statement at the end of their meeting, accusing Iran of supporting terrorism and posing maritime threats. The statement also accused Iran of meddling in other countries’ affairs and called for an end to Tehran’s missile program.
Khatibzadeh dismissed the accusations as unfounded, saying that such repeated and destructive statements are indicative of a wrong approach by certain PGCC members toward Iran.
“Such cliché statements are in contrast with good neighborliness and will do nothing important but create crises in the region. These statements are apparently issued with the aim of nullifying results of Iran’s diplomatic efforts regarding its neighbors including those in the PGGC,” he added.
The diplomat, while criticizing the PGCC for turning into the world’s biggest arsenal of the US and other Western countries’ weapons, said that the council is in no position to express views about Iran’s missile program as well as its military and deterrence policies.
Khatibzadeh referred to the PGCC statement calling for the inclusion of what it described as Iran’s destabilizing behavior in talks over the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the JCPOA.
He said that those behind such demands are well-aware of their baselessness, and this shows the depth of their ignorance toward realities on the ground and will only bring them to discredit.
The spokesman noted that the islands of Abu Musa, as well as the Lesser and Greater Tunbs, are inseparable parts of Iran, adding that the country strongly condemns any claims regarding these islands and considers them as interference in its internal affairs.
Khatibzadeh stressed that the Iranian government, in line with its strategic and basic policies, believes that interaction and cooperation with neighbors is the only way to resolve regional issues.
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