Iran reiterates full sovereignty over trio islands in Persian Gulf

TEHRAN (Iran News) Responding to a question on the issue during his weekly press briefing on Monday, Baqaei rejected renewed territorial claims raised by the United Arab Emirates in a [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) statement.

“In terms of history, in terms of law, and in terms of what exists in reality, there is no doubt and no skepticism about the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb,” he said.

US security strategy secures interests of Israel more than US: Baqaei

Baqaei also commented on the new US national security strategy, saying it openly reflected long-standing American policies in West Asia.

He said Iran would study the document but that “what is clear at first glance is that this document very nakedly states the same things that over the past years various US administrations were pursuing and hiding under the banner of human rights and democracy.”

He said the document identified two key priorities in the region: securing access to energy resources and ensuring the so-called security of the Israeli regime.

“From the content of this document, one can assess that the US has placed itself in the position of a judge over all countries; something that no side accepts in today’s world,” he said, adding that the absence of any reference to Palestinian rights showed that “this document, more than being the US national security document, is the national security document of the Zionist regime at least regarding West Asia.”

‘Iran in continuous contact with IAEA’

On discussions between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general and the European Union’s foreign policy chief regarding Iran, Baqaei said such contacts did not signal the start of new negotiations.

“We are in contact with the agency… through our representation in Vienna. This is a continuous matter,” he said.

He said that while other parties may raise Iran in bilateral talks with the IAEA, to say that mediation or negotiation in the conventional sense is underway is wrong.

Spokesperson: No indirect channels with US

He also dismissed speculation about indirect channels with the United States following recent comments from Washington about increased pressure on Iran.

The official communication channels, he said, remain the US Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran and Iran’s Interests Section in Washington.

“If other countries… carry messages, it is commonplace, but to say that a specific channel exists between us and the US, no,” he added.

Iran rejects interference in Lebanon’s affairs

Addressing claims that Iran interfered in Lebanon’s internal affairs after reports that the Lebanese foreign minister declined an invitation to visit Tehran, Baqaei said, “We have no interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.”

He described Hezbollah as “a rooted and influential institution” that makes its own decisions.

Iran’s positions on regional peace and Israeli threats “should not be interpreted as interference” but reflect Iran’s sense of responsibility, he added.

‘Do as you would be done by’: Iran tells Germany

Baqaei criticized the contradictory stance by Germany after Berlin’s foreign minister dismissed US concerns over democracy and freedom of expression in Europe as unwarranted external interference.

“This is one of those ironies of our time; Germany, which itself has been one of the accused parties in interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, including Iran, now seems to be suffering from the same problem that it was itself one of the creators of,” he stated.

He said such governments should be advised that “whatever you do not approve for yourselves, do not approve for others,” noting that Germany and other European states, “with the help of the United States,” had long intervened in other countries’ affairs under the pretext of human rights.

The official also reacted to recent remarks by the US special envoy for Syria, who said Washington had twice attempted to topple the Iranian government but failed, and now sought a “rational solution” to the Iran question.

He said there was nothing new in the revelation. “This has been very clear. Various US administrations over these five decades have always tried to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, and what they themselves call ‘changing the system’ is in fact an admission of the US acting to violate national sovereignty, which is completely contrary to international law,” he said.

Resistance groups are liberation movements: Baqaei

Addressing questions about a brief controversy in Iraq after reports that Hezbollah and Yemen’s Ansarallah had been listed as terrorist organizations before the Iraqi prime minister rejected the reports as an administrative error, Baqaei said Iran had nothing to add after the country’s top executive clarified the matter.

“It is clear to all the nations of the region and the world that Hezbollah and groups similar to Hezbollah fight for a legal and legitimate cause, which is safeguarding the right to self-determination and resisting occupation,” he said.

According to Baqaei, under international law and moral principles, such movements are “considered liberation movements,” and labels imposed by the United States and some Western states “have no basis or legitimacy.”

Tehran voices concerns over Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions

Turning to rising border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Baqaei expressed deep concern.

“We are very worried about the continuation of tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said, citing Iran’s cultural, historical and religious affinity with both neighbors as well as shared borders.

“Any insecurity in our surrounding borders is definitely harmful to our national security.”

Baqaei slams racist US actions against Iranian nationals

Asked about Washington’s announcement that Iranian football fans would not be issued visas for the football World Cup, Baqaei said the US, as the host country, is obligated under FIFA regulations to facilitate the entry of participating teams, coaches and delegations.

Any violation of these obligations, he said, entailed “international responsibility” for the United States.

Regarding reported mistreatment of Iranian nationals in the US and the return of several individuals on alleged immigration grounds, Baqaei said that although Washington claimed the deportations were legal, “we know that over the past year, racist measures against foreign nationals, especially those from the region and especially Iran, have intensified.”

Iran will not tolerate any hostile act: Spokesperson

Elsewhere in his remarks, Baqaei addressed reports that Israel might be using Azerbaijani airspace for operations against Iran.

He said Iran will tolerate no infringement of its sovereignty and had consistently warned neighbors to prevent Israeli misuse of their airspace.

Iran’s position on any such allegation, he said, would be based strictly on “documented and substantiated information,” and any verified case would be raised “seriously and transparently” with the country concerned.