Iran warns US against interfering policy

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has warned the US against efforts to interfere in the domestic affairs of the Islamic Republic.

“This imprudent move by the US Secretary of State and interference in Iran’s internal affairs cannot resolve problems they (Americans) are facing in their own country,” Mehmanparast told reporters on Tuesday, reacting to a recent statement by the United States on the human rights situation in Iran.

In a statement last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution accusing Iran of human rights violations.

The statement alleged that the international community was “deeply concerned” about “ongoing human rights abuses” in the Islamic Republic, calling on Iran “to permit credible and independent investigations of all allegations of human rights violations.”

Mehmanparast pointed out that Iranian officials have repeatedly cautioned Western countries against interfering in Iran’s internal affairs.

The spokesperson said that the US had better deal with its own internal issues, including its “catastrophic” human rights situation, rather than meddling in the internal affairs of other countries.

“US officials had better take issues pertaining to other countries off their agenda since such matters is none of their concern,” he noted.

Regarding deliberations in the Iranian Majlis (Parliament) on the review of ties with the UK, Mehmanparast said “meddlesome, imprudent” remarks by British officials prompted the Majlis to review diplomatic relations with Britain.

He said that British Ambassador to Tehran Simon Gass had acted outside conventional diplomatic practices by commenting about issues that are not part of a diplomat mission.

Iran would show a different reaction if the UK does not act to make up for its past mistakes, he warned.

Iranian lawmakers will decide on severing ties with the UK in the upcoming days.

The motion to cut off ties with London was filed and presented to the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy last year, following UK’s interference in post-election unrests in Iran.

The motion, however, gained momentum after the British envoy questioned the human rights condition in Iran in remarks posted on the UK embassy’s website.

Gass’ remarks drew massive criticism from Iranian authorities, who cited the move as “blatant interference” in Iran’s internal affairs.