Iranian foreign minister says Iran prepared for ‘worst-case scenario’

TEHRAN, Dec. 18 (MNA) – Iran`s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that making decisions on the U.S. spy drone, that was recently downed by the Iranian Armed Forces, falls within the ambit of the Supreme National Security Council. He made the remarks during an interview , which was published on Saturday. Iran is the owner of the advanced RQ-170 unmanned U.S. spy plane, Salehi stated. He also dismissed the claims that foreigners had helped Iran bring down the drone and that there is a possibility that Tehran will give the aircraft back to Washington. The minister also said Iran is fully prepared to face the “worst-case scenario” as the West is targeting Iran’s central bank and oil exports. The Islamic Republic has successfully circumvented the sanctions through reliance on its 32 years of experience, the top diplomat said. Iran always considers the worst situation and makes the necessary predictions in this regard, the foreign minister said. The soft-spoken minister said Tehran does not claim that sanctions have been ineffective but it claims that they have been handled very well. He went on to say that it would not be easy for the West to impose sanctions on Iran’s oil and energy sectors. Europe’s new sanctions blacklist 180 Iranian officials and firms, but do not impose an oil embargo on Iran, because some European countries are dependent on Iranian oil, according to the BBC. Salehi also said that any measure meant to violate Iran’s rights will be seen as an act of confrontation and is not welcomed by the Islamic Republic. He added that Iran is seeking to promote peace, stability, and security in the region, but if, God forbid, the West make a mistake and attack Iran, the Iranian people will defend their land.