Velayati slams Trump’s plan as 'shameful, deceptive plan of century’

A senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has denounced US President Donald Trump’s anti-Palestine Middle East scheme as “the shameful and deceptive plan of the century,” which is “doomed to failure.”

Ali Akbar Velayati, who is also secretary general of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening, made the remarks in a Thursday statement in response to Trump’s announcement of the plan that he has dubbed “the deal of century.”

The statement was released prior to a presser by Velayati on the matter.

While condemning the so-called ‘deal of the century,’ the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening considers it necessary for all Palestinian factions to close their ranks as a “comprehensive strategy aimed at thwarting the ominous goals” of Trump’s plot, he added.

He referred to the Palestinian cause as “the most important” issue facing the Muslim world, saying Muslims are obliged to throw “unequivocal support” behind Palestine by “using all material, spiritual and media capacities, public diplomacy, holding rallies and enlightening public opinion.”

Defying international outcry, Trump on Tuesday announced the general provisions of the plan at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side.

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The scheme — which all Palestinian groups have unanimously rejected — largely meets Israel’s demands in the decades-old conflict, while creating a Palestinian state with limited control over its own security and borders.

It enshrines Jerusalem al-Quds as “Israel’s undivided capital” and allows the regime to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley, among other controversial terms.

Velayati further warned of the repercussions of such a plan, including destabilizing the region and violating numerous UN resolutions on the Palestine case.

In order to make up for the US’s failed policies meant to ensure the security of Israel, the Trump administration made an attempt to secure the objectives of international Zionism lobby by fueling instability in the region.

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Iran

“The deal of the century will lead nowhere,” but rather consolidate unity in the Muslim Ummah and muster support for the oppressed Palestinian nation from the world’s freedom- and justice-seeking people and the entire international community, Velayati said.

‘Trump plan media ploy to make up for US failures’

Later on Thursday, Velayati took part in a press conference on the issue of Trump's so-called deal of the century, emphasizing that the unveiling ceremony was just a media ploy to divert attention from various US failures in different parts of the world.

The “media presentation” sought to make up for the losses, including those suffered by the US in Iraq and Syria, the Velayati noted, adding, “They have suffered defeat in Iraq, and must leave the region, [thus] losing their main headquarters [here].” 

In early January, the Iraqi parliament voted in favor of the expulsion of all US-led forces from the Arab country, and caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi demanded that Washington offer due cooperation towards the purpose.

The developments came only days after US drone strikes assassinated senior Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, who was on an official visit to Baghdad, and ranking Iraqi anti-terror official Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, among others in the Iraqi capital.

Iran’s elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corps retaliated for the atrocity by targeting the US’s Ain al-Assad air base in the western Iraqi al-Anbar province, which the IRGC had identified as the command center used for directing US’s regional plots.

“On the other hand, they should get out of Syria too,” Valayati added, predicting that the “resistant and resolute” Syrian army would be crossing onto the eastern banks of the Euphrates River.

The eastern side of the river is home to major oilfields and the US forces there have been reported to be abusing Syria’s crude resources at Washington’s behest.

Iran’s Zarif slams US plan as ‘nightmare’ for region, world

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has lashed out at the US’s so-called peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the initiative is a “nightmare” both for the region and the world.

Velayati reiterated that Trump’s announcement of the scheme was his attempt at “fleeing from the US’s own domestic troubles,” saying the project would not bear fruit, while Muslims would succeed in materializing their goals.

Participation by representatives of some Arab states would not work towards implementation of the scheme either, he said.

He reminded that this was not the first time Washington had come up with similar plots.

He cited the examples of the Camp David Accords -- signed by Egypt and Israel in the US in 1978 -- and the Madrid Conference -- a supposed conflict resolution event co-sponsored by Spain and the US in 1991, adding, “None of these has or will [ever] produce result.”

“On the back of cooperation among the regional nations, the US will suffer defeat in this measure too,” he said, and announced that the Islamic Republic would not remain silence in the face of the situation and would continue its relevant cooperation and consultations with Muslim countries.

Finally, the official went back to the issue of the US’s presence in Iraq.

“The Americans have no chance of remaining in Iraq, and should leave the country,” he concluded, pointing to the parliamentary measure in favor of the US’s expulsion and a subsequent monumental march by the Iraqis in support of Washington’s withdrawal.

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