Senior Iranian diplomat Nasser Kan'ani made the remarks while speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday morning.
Two terrorist blasts occurred en route to the Kerman martyrs' cemetery and the burial site of the former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Qods Force commander General Qassem Soleimani who was assassinated by the US forces in Iraq on January 3, 2020. Dozens of people were killed and injured in the terrorist incident.
"Once again, we strongly condemn this cowardly act of terrorism in the strongest terms. I offer my condolences to the families of the martyrs, both Iranian and Afghan," Kan'ani cited, thanking the countries who expressed sympathy toward the Iranian nation following the tragedy.
Terrorism is a threat to international peace and security and all countries and nations, he said, adding that those who use terrorism to reach their sinister goals should be held accountable.
Technical reasons behind delay in Umrah Hajj flights
On the delay in Umrah Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia, Kan'ani said the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development and the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization have already provided extensive details about the issue, which he said was technical rather than political.
“Saudi Arabia considers itself fully committed in this regard, and the related institutions of our country are also making efforts to resolve this issue. We expressed hope that this technical obstacle will also be removed,” he said.
All countries favor end to Gaza war
Referring to the Zionist regime’s war against Gaza, Kan'ani said an immediate end to the war is what all world countries fully endorse, pointing out that the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in this regard as well as widespread protests around the globe attest to this fact.
But unfortunately, he went on, the US does not allow the war to end and exerts its influence and uses its veto right at the UN Security Council to prevent the council from carrying out its duties.
“Occupation is the root cause of the Palestine issue and this problem must be resolved. This cannot be achieved based on unilateral plans that only benefit the Zionist regime, and any dialogue in this regard should be held within the framework of Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue.”
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also maintained that regional issues must be resolved by regional governments and nations, adding that the US, which is to blame for most of the problems, must stop its interventionist policies in the region.
US illegal presence cause of regional insecurity
Kan'ani also spoke about the situation in Iraq where resistance groups have been conducting attacks on US bases to show their protest at Washington’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
“The root cause of the insecurity in the region is the illegal presence of American forces, their interference in (the affairs of) regional countries, and of course, their support for the Zionist regime,” he said, adding that Iran has its own special approach towards developments in the region.
As far as attacks against US forces in Iraq are concerned, it should be noted that American troops should leave that country based on an approval by the Iraqi parliament, and Iraqi forces will also fulfill their duties in this regard, the Iranian diplomat said.
He added that Iran has already informed Iraq that the presence of American forces, within an international coalition or under any other reason, will not help promote security and stability in Iraq and the region. Their presence is a cause of instability instead, he noted.
The United States uses its presence in regional countries against the very same countries, he further said, expressing assurance that Iraqi security and military forces are capable enough to boost security and promote stability across their country without getting help from outside forces.
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