Saudis’ Iranophobia creating tensions in Middle East: Zarif

Saudi Arabia tries to achieve its regional goals by promoting โ€œIranophobiaโ€ and creating tensions in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says.

Zarif made the remarks during an interview broadcast on Iranian TV on Monday, adding that the Saudisโ€™ actions result from their fear over the implementation of Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers.

Zarif noted that among other actions, Saudi Arabia executed top Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and reduced oil prices to stoke regional tensions.

โ€œCutting oil prices harmed them more than it harmed us,โ€ he said, adding that the โ€œSaudis cannot further their policies byย propagatingย Iranophoic lies.โ€

Iran does not seek to create regional tensions and has never done so, he noted, adding that, โ€œAs a powerful country, Iran will move past all these desperate actionsโ€ but will not allow anybody to disrespect its people.

โ€œEnmity with Iran has never had any benefits for anyone, includingย the regionalย powers, and the interest of our friends in the region is in treading the path of friendship,โ€ he stated.

On Saturday, Zarif and European Union foreign policyย chief Federica Mogheriniย announcedย that sanctions imposed on Tehran have been lifted as the nuclear agreement, dubbedย the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),ย cameย into force after the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran hadย met its commitments under theย historic deal.

Iran andย the P5+1 countries —ย theย United States, Britain,ย Russia,ย China, France andย Germanyย — finalized theย JCPOAย inย Viennaย on July 14, 2015.

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