Iran Condemns Meddling Stands Of French Foreign, Defense Ministers

Tehran, Feb 18, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast condemned a meddling statement issued by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and the groundless remarks of French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Iranˈs nuclear activities. ˈThe dual behavior of the superficial supporters of the freedom of speech is not something new and the intellectual Iranian people are quite familiar with such desperate moves and they gave their response in rejecting them during their landmark rally of February 10 (Bahman 22 marking the 34th anniversary of the victory of 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran),ˈ Mehmanparast said late Sunday. Addressing the French statesmen, Mehmanparast said, ˈInstead of interfering in other countriesˈ affairs, they should consider improving the horrible situation of human rights in their own country, including violence and torture practiced against their citizens, refugees and removal of racial discrimination or death of French citizens in prisons which has already been objected by the international organizations.ˈ Mehmanparast dismissed the recent statements of the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Iranˈs peaceful nuclear energy activities as baseless and said, ˈFalse perception of certain western countries that Iranˈs passivity due to the influence of such pressures will not lead the Iranian nation to relinquish their fundamental rights and it is better that the French government instead of adopting irrational behavior and uttering illogical statements to adopt a proper approach in compliance with realities.ˈ He noted that the nature of Iranˈs nuclear activities is transparent and peaceful and Iranˈs close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Organization is itself indicative of this transparency. ˈThe roots of regional insecurity and instability are the Zionist regime and its western supporters as well as all those who are active in the field sending weapons to the Middle East regionˈs Muslim countries and also sowing the seed of discord among the Muslim nations of the region and consequently intensifying the conflicts and bloodshed,ˈ Mehmanparast added./end