Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zamir Kabulov (Photo by ITAR-TASS)
Russia has dismissed the United States latest bout of trying to link the al-Qaeda terrorist group and Iran without providing any proof as "absolutely" groundless.
"This is absolutely unsubstantiated and unreasonable. There is absolutely no information" supporting such a claim, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zamir Kabulov said in a statement on Wednesday, Russias Sputnik news agency reported.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has established himself as the most radical anti-Iran official within US President Donald Trumps now-outgoing administration, called Iran the terrorist groups "new home base" without producing any evidence. He made the remarks as part of, what he called, publicizing "declassified US intelligence," which - as in the case of Washingtons other claims against Tehran - surprisingly lacked all "declassified proof."
This was not the first time Pompeo was trying to associate the terror group with Iran. Similar to the latest push, however, his previous such attempts too lacked any evidentiary basis.
The now lame-duck secretary of state has been on the campaign, although all the USs previous such accusations, including those made by former president George W. Bushs administration - during which al-Qaedas 9/11 attacks against the US took place - have been discredited.
Iranian officials have identified such efforts as Washingtons attempt to try and eclipse its own role in creation and reinforcement of al-Qaeda and similar terror outfits.
Shortly after Pompeos remarks, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called him "Mr. we lie, cheat, steal," who was "pathetically ending his disastrous career with more warmongering lies."
The Iranian official went on to say, "No one is fooled. All 9/11 terrorists came from @SecPompeos favorite ME destinations; NONE from Iran."
Zarif was referring to Saudi Arabia and its widely-known financial and ideological sponsorship of the terrorist outfit, which was created by Saudi citizen Osama bin Laden in 1980.
The Russian official further denounced the US top diplomats remarks by saying, "It seems that Mr. Pompeo, at the end [of Donald Trumps presidency], wants to do something else to hurt Iran."
He was referring to the American officials changeless track record of trying to take the US regimes already hostile position on Iran to its ultimate extremity. During his four-year tenure, Pompeo was seen travelling all over the region on numerous occasions to try to strengthen the USs team-up with its regional allies against the Islamic Republic.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/22013
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