“Obama and Trump both acted dishonestly in regards with their commitments in the JCPOA,” Admiral Ali Shamkhani told Al-Alam.
The Iranian official, who also serves as Iranian Leader’s representative in the Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks in interview with Al-Alam News touching upon the US approach to the nuclear deal of July 14, 2015, concluded between Iran and sextet (France, China, Russia, US, UK, and Germany).
Referring to recent riots in some major cities of Iran, he asserted that protesting is a legitimate right for the people and it naturally exists in many countries of the world.
“You witnessed that on the anniversary of Trump’s electoral victory massive rallies and protests were staged in US but unfortunately this legitimate right is completely denied and ignored in some countries of our region,” asserted the official.
“And that’s why that it seems wired to some countries of the region which are ruled by a tribe that in Iran, where people decide about their government with casting votes, people protest against the government. Because in those countries protesting equals to insecurity and crisis,” said the security chief of Iran referring to monarchies in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia who violently crack down any civil protest.
“A leader of one of these countries once told me in a visit to Iran that the media and newspapers in Iran are very critical of the government and it stimulates the people. When he asked me why Iranian government does not control them, I told him that it is not worrisome to us because this is the lifestyle of Iranians after the victory of the Revolution and not only it does not worry us, but we honor it. However, he was not worried about Iran; he was worried to have his country’s people ask for the same right in their own country,” Mr. Shamkhani noted.
“In the Iranian Constitution the right of holding rallies and protests within the framework of law is legalized,” he asserted.
He then boasted that in the past forty years of the Islamic Republic Establishment, Iran has never announced an emergency situation.
“Iran is a country of 80 million people and these protests made up a tiny fracture of the Iranian population,” he said reassuring that normal daily life was followed in Iran during the week of riots and protest.
“The Iranian people are in love with the independence of their country and will never allow a foreigner to interfere in their country’s domestic affairs,” Mr. Shamkhani maintained.
Touching upon the claims made by Saudi Arabia and US leveling accusations against Iran in regards to the crisis in Yemen, Mr. Shamkhani stressed that when Yemen is so strictly blocked by Saudi Arabia, US, and Israeli regime that no food can be delivered to the war-hit civilians, woman, and children, it is so stupid to say that they are supplied with missiles.
“Missiles are not small things. They have their own size and weight which makes it impossible to carry them with boats. When a country is so tightly blocked in air, sea, and land, it is very stupid to make a claim like that,” he added.
/SR
