He made the remarks in a comprehensive interview with a live IRIB program aired on Monday night. Zarif discussed various issues in the interview; from the JCPOA and US unilateralism to ties with China, the situation in Lebanon, and the Emirati-Israeli agreement.
Zarif likened the US behavior to a ‘bully in school’ who ‘beats smaller kids’, adding that if no one stops this bully, he/she will generalize this behavior and beats everyone. Likewise, the minister continued, the US started with smaller countries such as Iraq, and then it causes problems for Iran and in the next step, it goes for its own allies such as Germany.
America is now threatening German companies with sanctions on the Nord Stream project, he added. “If the world does not stand against this excessive demand, America will expand its bullying behavior across the world.”
European countries are ‘gradually’ acknowledging the fact as EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell once said that the US should stop threatening the EU, added Zarif.
On Emirati-Israeli deal
Elsewhere, Zarif pointed to the controversial agreement between the Israeli regime and the United Arab Emirates that has apparently been brokered by the US and condemned by Palestinian groups and resistance countries.
“The Zionist regime that is the biggest security threat tells regional countries that Iran is the biggest threat and I am your survivor,” Zarif said, adding that they have ‘swindled’ the regional countries with this approach.
These countries “betray the Palestinian cause to use the Israeli security,” said the diplomat, framing, “Have the Israeli regime managed to defend itself against Hamas and Hezbollah to be able to defend you?”
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