Reacting to White House statement;

US threats expose its meddlesome nature: FM spox

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iran has dismissed the recent statement by the White House on the release of US prisoners in Iran, describing it as an example of interference in the Islamic Republic’s internal affairs.

News ID: 65359

Date: 23 July 2017 - 13:00

In a statement on Saturday, Bahram Ghasemi slammed the White House statement as false and unacceptable, saying that as usual it is an example of interference in Iran’s domestic affairs.

Ghasemi stressed that like other democratic establishments, the judiciary, courts and judges in the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely independent.

"Under the domestic laws and regulations of Iran and within the framework of the principle of separation of powers, the judiciary has the responsibility of a stringent judicial review based on a fair trial of any act and conduct which is contrary to the country’s national security,” Ghasemi underlined.

The Islamic Republic of Iran deals with such acts and conducts based on its own regulations, and the release of meddlesome and threatening statements by US authorities and institutions will have no impact on the will and determination of the country’s judicial system to prosecute and punish the perpetrators and violators of Iran’s laws and national security, he added.

"According to the judicial authorities of Iran, based on the Islamic Republic’s laws, there are charges against the individuals mentioned in the White House statement and their charges will be investigated based on the country’s laws,” he said.

He went on to add, "as it has been repeatedly announced to the US officials, a person named Robert Levinson has had a trip to Iran many years ago and after leaving the country, the Islamic Republic has had no new information about his fate.

The spokesman also underlined that Washington’s interference in other countries’ domestic affairs besides threatening them is a wrong practice which is against international rules and regulations.

"Such threats arise from the meddlesome and arrogant nature of the US government. The revolutionary Iranian nation has a long history and rich experience in rejecting bullying and confronting such hostile behaviors,” he said.

Ghasemi stressed, "the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it has repeatedly proved, does not accept any form of imposition and bullying under any circumstances. The American statesmen should speak to the great nation of Iran with the language of respect.”

‎Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman also talked about the United States’ breaking of promises and also releasing of statements that are unconventional and contrary to the internationally-recognized rules.

Ghasemi reminded the US authorities to immediately release Iranian prisoners kept in the United States, who in recent years have been subjected to harsh and inappropriate conditions.

He said they [the Iranian prisoners in US] have been incarcerated under false and baseless charges, stressing that the move is against all moral and human standards.

The Iranian diplomat further called on the US officials to stop prosecution of a number of Iranian citizens in other countries, especially one of the cases who died due to an unreasonable request for extradition by the United States.