Iran Asks US to Stay out of Middle East
Following Israel seeking harder sanctions on Tehran for its nuclear quest, Iran has warned the US to renounce its previous policies on the Middle East conflict.
“We warn the US government and (President Barack) Obama not to fall into the trap laid by former US politicians on the issue of Palestine,” foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
“The US government should know the new Middle East peace plan cannot ignore Palestinians’ rights and that this plan does not secure the least of Palestinians’ demands,” he said.
He reaffirmed that national interests of Iran were associated with “obtaining Palestians’ rights”.
Iran has never recognized Israel and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has often launched verbal attacks on the Jewish state escalating tension between the two over the past four years.
Iran is also a strong backer of Islamist militant Palestinian groups and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for “crippling sanctions” against Iran to bring to a standstill its dubious nuclear work as he expressed hopes for a quick resumption of Middle East peace talks.
