An official note handed to the envoy, who represents US interests in Iran because of the lack of diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran, contains Iran’s protest against the “provocative, irresponsible, and unfounded” remarks made by US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley on Dec. 14 that Iran had supplied weapons, including ballistic missiles, to Yemenis, which would have been used against the coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting with the Swiss envoy, Iran noted the direct involvement of the US government in the mass killing of innocent Yemeni people by selling billions of deadly weapons, including cluster bombs, to Saudi Arabia, adding that Washington has violated the UN Security Council resolutions on Yemen.
“Instead of answering to the international community, the US intends to deceive people by accusing others and supporting the aggressive states in the region,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on Tuesday, adding “however, such tricks overplayed by the US have long ceased to make an impression on the people in region and the world.”
Ghasemi went on to add that the note handed to the Swiss envoy contains Iran’s rejection of US accusations about the supply of missiles to Yemen, and stresses that the US move is a clear example of encouraging violence and war in the Middle East.
“The US government will be held accountable for the potential consequences of this move,” he said.
The Swiss envoy, for his part, said that he would promptly communicate the Islamic Republic's protest to the US State Department.
Iran's FM Zarif and Defense Minister Hatami had previously said that they would file a complaint with the UN over Nikki Haley's claims.
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