Swiss Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran Markus Leitner was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday to receive an official protest note regarding Donald Trump’s Saturday tweets in which the US president threatened to target 52 Iranian cultural sites.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “US President's hostile, threatening and abusive statements are in no way acceptable and it violates international law completely.”
Referring to Trump’s threats of targeting Iranian cultural sites, he noted, “Such a threat is reminiscent of the Mongol invasion or the actions of terrorist and criminal groups in the destruction of cultural and historical sites which is considered as a war crime and another breach of international law.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never back down against any threats and is firmly prepared to respond to any threat or action against its territorial security and integrity,” he said, adding, “History has shown that the Iranian people will seriously respond to any threats by any aggressor.”
“At the request of the Iranian government and nation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to all political and legal measures, preserves its undisputed right to respond to the assassination of Martyr Qasem Soleimani at an appropriate time,” he mentioned.
The Swiss ambassador announced that he would deliver the message to US government officials as soon as possible.
MNA/4817334
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