Iran well prepared for ‘any Trumpian scenario’

Bahram Ghasemi told reporters during his weekly press conference Monday morning that Iran would courageously face Trumpian scenarios whatsoever, however said that it was too early to judge Mr. Trump’s possible restrictive measures regarding Iran, with House of Representative and Senate dominated by Republicans. “Any president including Trump should work to meet the American interests; JCPOA was not about a single issue, but it encompassed diverse issues, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared for any scenario new tenant of the White House would direct,” he added. “Any decision should be made according to Trump’s foreign policy team conduct.”

The Arab League has, in blanket manner, accused Iran of interference with Arab affairs across the Middle East, to which Ghasemi was responding, especially in Yemen. “Saudis are in absolutely defeated and untenable position in Yemen; they should come to terms with their situation first in Yemen when the smoke clears; after a year of attacking Yemen, they see any success of coalition impossible, so the kingdom has resorted to shifting the blame on Iran, creating an imagined enemy. They have been working to accumulate the forces of regional small Arab countries against Iran,” Ghasemi emphasized. “A kingdom which had been actively supported and exported terrorism should decide based on facts on the grounds.”

The spokesperson also responded to IAEA allegations that Iran avoided fully exporting of its heavy water; “the AEOI has strongly responded to the allegations; Iran will only remain true to implementation of its commitments as long as the international parties to the deal afford to do so; on new sanctions probable in Congress, we believe sanctions reflect the internal power politics of the US; none of the legislation for or against JCPOA in Congress will remain ineffectual until they are signed to the law by the president; should this happen, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not wait for further steps by the west and will enter its own course of action accordingly,” he told the press.

“Saudis should feel accountable to families of victims of Mina incident; the kingdom banned the Iranian pilgrims’ participation in observance of Hajj rituals, while there has been much gossip and claim by Saudi government about possible causes of the incident which is intended to deflect the public attention from the real issue,” he told reporters.

Ghasemi also condemned disparaging remarks in Asharq Al-Awsat and other Arab news outlets affiliated with Saudis as rooted in their extreme anger upon seeing the sheer number of pilgrims on Arbaeen; “to their chagrin, Arbaeen processions are source of serious concerns for circles who do not want to see rallies of such proportions.”.

On Heidar al-Ebadi’s visit to Tehran, Ghasemi told reporters that Tehran-Baghdad ties had been constructive and transparent; “Tehran provides Baghdad with advice on political, economic, and military fields,” he said.

On the demand by PGCC that Iran’s membership to Organization of Islamic Cooperation be revoked and other allegations against Iran raised by Saudi embassy in Cairo, spokesperson believed that Saudis had been behind all such provocative measures; on EU statement about Iran and Mogherini’s remarks on supporting the JCPOA, Ghasemi hailed the EU’s positive view of Iran in the statement; “they are willing to develop ties with Iran, which is a testament to Iran’s influential position in the region; the EU has a certain view of the JCPOA; we will continue negotiations on human rights as well as other issues, with the second leg to be held in Tehran,” he told the press.