Iran Will Never Allow US to Invade Its Territory: Foreign Ministry

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi says regardless of any decision adopted by the US, the Islamic Republic of Iran will never allow Washington to invade its borders.

Mousavi on Saturday referred to the latest remarks by the US President Donald Trump about the downing of a US spy drone by the Islamic Republic on Thursday and said the Islamic Republic is prepared to give a firm response to any threat against its territorial integrity.

“Our decision doesn’t hinge on theirs and we will counter any threat or aggression,” he said.

He also pointed to the second phase of Iran’s measure to scale down on its commitments under the Iran nuclear deal and said the implementation of the measure depends on the other sides’ efforts and commitments under the nuclear accord.

“If the Islamic Republic comes to this conclusion that the other sides’ efforts wouldn’t go beyond lip services, it will seriously take the second step in scaling down its JCPOA commitments and we have already told them what the next step would be,” he noted.

The spokesman also said when the US president withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal back in May last year, the remaining sides of the JCPOA called on Washington to remain in the deal and said they would live up to their commitments “but one year on, they couldn’t fulfill their pledges or didn’t show willing enough to do so.”

“So, if they don’t adopt a concrete and tangible measure within the remaining time to live up to their commitments under the JCPOA, Iran will take the legal move based on articles 26 and 36 of the deal which say if one side fails to fulfill its commitments, the other one can take certain measures in return,” he added.

The spokesman said Iran has decided to take its moves within the JCPOA.

“If the side comes up with new promises, a high council charged with monitoring the implementation of the JCPOA will give an appropriate decision,” he said.

Earlier, US President Trump said he was not looking for war with Iran amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking to NBC News, Trump however warned that a possible war would result in what he called obliteration. Trump made the comment after he said he called off an attack on three Iranian sites in retaliation for the downing of a US drone, 10 minutes before it begins.

The US president said the United States is in no hurry for a strike. NBC News quoted Trump as saying that he has no preconditions for talks with the Islamic Republic and is willing to speak to Iran’s leader and president. Iran has time and again rejected Trump’s offer of talks saying it will not sit for negotiations under pressure.

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