Iran rejects E3's 'provocative' claims about raids on Saudi oil sites

Tehran has strongly condemned the “destructive” and “provocative” claims made by Britain, France and Germany about Iranian involvement in Yemen’s retaliatory drone raids on Saudi oil installations, warning that the trio will be responsible for the consequences of such “irresponsible” statements.

In a statement on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it is “highly destructive and provocative” in itself to hold a third government responsible for an attack that was carried out during an all-out war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, while the latter has claimed responsibility, let alone rushing to conclusions without any probe and only based on “a ridiculous rationale.”

It added that such remarks and measures would only fuel the flames of the Yemen war and may lead to its expansion.

The ministry slammed the three European states — known as E3 — for leveling unreal accusations against other countries with politically-motivated purposes while fully supporting Saudi Arabia, particularly through exporting huge amounts of arms to the child-killer regime, stressing that this is a “dangerous trend” and trio would be liable for the consequences that their statement can have for regional peace and security.

On September 14, Yemen’s Ansarullah movement and their allies in the Yemeni army deployed as many as 10 drones to bomb Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities run by the Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco.

The unprecedented attack knocked out more than half of Saudi crude output, or five percent of global supply, prompting Saudi and US officials to claim without any evidence that it probably originated from Iraq or Iran.

Read more:

• ‘Aramco operation changed regional equations against US, allies’
• Riyadh doesn’t yet know who carried oil strikes or why: Saudi energy minister
• Yemen’s Houthis announce plan to conditionally halt strikes against Saudi Arabia

The United States and Saudi Arabia have, to various degrees, blamed Tehran for the attack on Aramco installations.

Tehran, however, has rejected the allegations, saying Washington seems to be shifting from a failed campaign of “maximum pressure” to one of “maximum lying” and “deceit” against the Islamic Republic.

In a joint statement on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined the US and Saudi Arabia in pinning the blame for the attack on Iran.

The three countries — which remain party to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran despite the US unilateral withdrawal last year — urged Iran to engage in dialog and “refrain from choosing provocation and escalation.”

At a Monday meeting with his French counterpart in New York, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also rejected the E3 statement as “groundless blame game.”

PressTV-Iran raps E3's baseless accusations over Aramco attacks

President Rouhani slams a statement by France, Germany, and the UK which claimed Iran was responsible for recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

The Foreign Ministry further slammed the European states for echoing the US in their statement and urging new negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.

After blaming Tehran for the attack on Saudi oil facilities, the three countries said in their statement that “the time has come for Iran to accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear program as well as on issues related to regional security.”

That statement followed remarks by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had called for a new “Trump deal” with Iran to replace the existing “bad deal.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected the European demand that ensued Johnson’s dangerous comments, saying such a call constitutes a blatant breach of the “text and spirit” of the nuclear deal and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which has endorsed the agreement.

The ministry also strongly rejected the possibility of any talks about the country’s national missile and defense program.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran once again reiterates that its missile and defense program is based on a deterrent policy and is balanced with the existing threats and measures on its expansion will be…in line with international law and regulations,” the ministry said.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran also reacted to the nuclear-related part of the European statement on twitter.

“E3’s paralysis in fulfilling their obligations w/o US permission has been clear since May 2018 ... No new deal before compliance w/ current one,” he said.

Read more:

• Iran tests missiles on regular basis: Defense minister
• Iran has already told Macron missiles not up for negotiations: Informed source
• Iran denies its missile program could be up for negotiation with US

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