A senior Iranian diplomat said the Islamic Republic will not be overwhelmed by political pressure and intimidation aimed at winning concessions out of Tehran.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in reference to Western countries’ “meddlesome behavior” with regard to protests in Iran following the death of a young girl in police custody in September.
“Intervention in Iran’s domestic affairs will not remain without a response,” he said at a regular press briefing on Monday, ISNA reported.
Iranian cities have seen protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which later developed into violent clashes between rioters and security forces, claiming the lives of around 200 people, according Iranian sources.
While Tehran blames the West for provoking violence and fueling the turmoil, those countries have imposed tough sanctions on Iranian individuals and organizations on the grounds of alleged human rights violation.
“Sanctions are an illegal measure which is adopted by a certain number of countries, including the United States and the European Union,” Kanaani said.
Tehran argues that the plots are devised after Western countries failed to force Iran to compromise on its legitimate demands in talks that aim to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.
The agreement unraveled due to the US exit and reimposition of sanctions in 2018, and talks to revive the accord have now faced a deadlock.
In a latest move, the EU was set to agree on a “very tough” package of sanctions against the country in a foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.
“The European Union will condemn strongly and will take any action we can in order to support Iranian women,… peaceful demonstrators and, certainly, reject the death penalty,” he said, referring to Iran’s execution of two people involved in deadly actions during the unrest.
In reaction, Iran has imposed sanctions against Western people and entities, including the new list which was announced on Monday.
Kanaani stressed that protests based on regulations are legal but turmoil is unconstructive.
“Foreign parties’ support of rioters will not help the voice of protesters to be heard,” he said.
He described intervention in Iran’s domestic affairs as “unconstructive and illegal”, underlining those countries’ treatment with their own protesters.
“Those who resort to violence in the face of protesters in their countries have no right to comment on Iran’s enforcement of law for the purpose of ensuring people’s peace and security,” he said.
Political Solution
Western sanctions are also imposed on Iran on charges of supplying arms to Russia for its war on Ukraine.
Borrell said ahead of the foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday that the EU sanctions would be imposed both for humanitarian reasons and for the Iranian alleged support to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
Kanaani reiterated Iran’s position on the Ukraine crisis, saying Tehran supports neither warring side and advocates a political solution through dialogue.
He said such claims are made and repeated for political purposes by those countries which deliver arms to one side of the war themselves.
“We believe these allegations are made with political motives and with the aim of covering up these countries’ own measures,” he said.
The US and its allies are also pushing to remove Iran from a United Nations Commission on the Status of Women on charges of violating women’s rights, a vote on which is set to be taken on Wednesday.
Kanaani said if accomplished, this would be a politically-motivated move “in contradiction with the spirit of such international mechanisms.”
“Americans lie about supporting women’s rights in Iran,” he said, noting that women and children in Iran have been direly affected by US unilateral sanctions against the Iranian nation imposed following Washington’s exit from the 2015 nuclear deal four years ago.
“These sanctions do not match the motto of defending women’s rights in Iran.”
