Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Asefi rejected the Zionists’ allegations that the Lebanese Hezbollah uses Iranian missiles to attack Israel and that Iranian forces have been dispatched to Lebanon, adding that the Zionist regime has fabricated these baseless charges in order to extricate itself from the quandary it has created.
No Iranian military forces are operating in Lebanon, and the Lebanese have proven that they can defend themselves, he asserted.
He went on to say that the Zionists resort to catastrophic acts and fabricate stories to conceal their frustration over their repeated failures in Palestine, such as the Hamas election victory, and their growing isolation in the international arena.
He warned the Zionist regime not to make the mistake of attacking Syria, saying the Zionist regime would face unimaginable losses if it attacked other countries and expanded the war zone.
The Zionists’ ultimatum to Syria is totally unacceptable and the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Syrian nation because it is the duty of Iran to back Syria and Lebanon, he added.
The United States has played a destructive role in the Zionists’ atrocities and, by vetoing about 60 United Nations Security Council resolutions against the Zionist regime, has actually encouraged Israel to continue its atrocities, he noted.
Asefi pointed out that Iran supports the only solution for the Palestine crisis, which is to hold a referendum among all Palestinian refugees and residents.
Commenting on former Lebanese Phalangist commander Samir Geagea’s remarks suggesting that the four Iranian nationals who have been missing since they were detained by Phalangist forces in Lebanon in 1982 were killed by Israeli forces, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Iranian embassies and a special committee are pursuing the fate of the four men, adding that if Geagea has any documented evidence, Iran will investigate it.
Since Iran has received no documented evidence proving the three diplomats and one journalist have been martyred, they are considered alive and the Zionist regime is held accountable for their situation.
Charge d’affaires Mohsen Musavi, military attaché of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ahmad Motevasellian, Taghi Rastegar, a diplomat from the embassy, and Kazem Akhavan, a reporter and photographer from the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), were detained by Phalangist forces and then handed over to Zionist troops while traveling to southern Lebanon in 1982 and then transferred to a prison in occupied Palestine.
Iran’s referral to UN will block nuclear talks
Elsewhere in his remarks, Asefi stated that negotiations would be blocked if Iran’s nuclear dossier is referred back to the UN Security Council.
“The 5+1 group’s package of nuclear proposals is an acceptable starting point, and we believe that this package should be developed through talks,” he explained.
On June 6, the six major powers presented Iran a package promising economic and political incentives aimed at ending the row over Tehran’s nuclear program.
However, the five permanent United Nations Security Council members, the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China, plus Germany said last week they would resume UN Security Council action against Tehran.
Asefi added that Iran has not yet made a decision on its final response.
All parties involved in Iran’s nuclear standoff must clarify whether they are willing to conduct long-term and strategic cooperation with each other, he noted.
It is high time Iran and the European Union entered into talks over the details of the package, he said, adding that the ball is currently in the EU’s court.
He also said that the 5+1 group has exposed the contents of the proposal to the media and now experts have confirmed that the package is full of ambiguities.
Asefi stated that Iran expects both Russia and China to defend the legitimate nuclear rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran because defending these rights is equivalent to defending the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other international regulations.
As for Iran’s probable response to the UN Security Council’s demand that it suspend uranium enrichment activities in the country, Asefi said that the Security Council’s action is not very helpful, and regardless of the ultimate outcome, Security Council involvement in the case will definitely have a negative impact on the negotiation process.
Asefi mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s opposition to imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran and expressed hope that the Group of Eight (G8) would follow a logical path, saying that in this case, Iran would be prepared for all-out cooperation.
SA/RS/HG
END
MNA