Islamic Republic of Iran raps West terrorism dual policy

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has denounced the West’s selective approach toward fighting terrorism, urging international community to set up an alliance to curb terror acts.

“The world community must confront the major powers’ double standards toward terrorism,” IRNA quoted Mehmanparast as saying on Friday, a day before the opening of an international anti-terrorism conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

He pointed out that major powers use different issues, including terrorism, as a tool to shield their own interests.

“Wherever the interests of [big] powers are the issue, they step in under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and they start negotiations with terrorist groups if their interests are involved,” he noted.

Mehmanparast went on to say that terrorism could not be dichotomized to a good or bad form and added,” Any act that endangers the lives of innocent people is condemned and should be dealt with.”

The Iranian spokesperson also called for the establishment of “an international alliance” aimed at stepping up efforts to eradicate terrorism and reiterated that any country should feel obliged to fight terrorism.

Tehran is hosting the International Conference on the Global Fight against Terrorism to open on Saturday.

Senior officials from at least 60 countries and representatives from several international organizations, including the UN, will attend the two-day meeting.

Iran is among the victims of terrorism as more than 17,000 Iranians, including senior officials, have lost their lives in various terror attacks since the victory of the Islamic Revolution some thirty years ago.