In a Saturday statement, Bahram Qassemi expressed regret over the recent remarks made by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the opening ceremony of the ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“The raison d’etre of the establishment and completion of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was to create unity and convergence among member states,” Qassemi said.
“Cashing in on the meetings of this organization and bringing up divisive and false issues against other member states are inappropriate and against the objectives and philosophy of this organization and will deal serious blows to interaction among members and their trust in one another,” said Qassemi.
“Basically, when member states host meetings and gatherings of the organization, they should take steps towards further strengthening unity and solidarity in the Muslim community, not abuse the opportunity and bring up policies dictated by countries outside the Muslim world,” said the spokesman.
Among the anti-Iran allegations made by the UAE foreign minister was Abu Dhabi’s claim to the three Iranian Persian Gulf islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs as well as Abu Musa.
In his statement, Qassemi dismissed as false and untrue the allegations made against the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Emirati foreign minister, saying, “Unfortunately, some countries have got used to rehashing such claims in order to cover up the damage caused by their policies to the Muslim world.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s right to sovereignty over the [three] islands is an issue over which there is no doubt, and making such claims will not change or affect the legal status of these islands and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ownership of them,” Qassemi noted.
He also rejected allegations of Iran’s interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
“Claims that the Islamic Republic of Iran is meddling in other countries’ domestic affairs are unfounded, and I recommend this Emirati official take a look at the situation in Yemen and the humanitarian crisis caused by the military aggression of the UAE and several other countries and get to realize the real meaning of his respective country’s interference in other Islamic countries’ affairs and the destructive human and material consequences of the aggression against Yemen,” he said.
The spokesman concluded by touching upon the presence of the Iranian delegation at the meeting.
“Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs is present at the meeting, heading a political delegation. While actively participating in the conference, he will give the necessary reactions to the mischief and non-constructive actions and behaviour of certain countries as well,” he said.
Last Friday, the UAE foreign minister speaking at the OIC meeting in Abu Dhabi called on Iran “to revisit its policies, stop interfering in other countries’ internal affairs, stop the promotion of chaos and sectarianism, stop supporting groups which trigger such conflicts, and halt financial and arms support for terrorist and paramilitary groups which blatantly breach OIC and UN charters as well as true human values.”
