Dean James AMERICA’S FREEDOM FIGHTERS –

Iran has accused the United States of interfering in its domestic affairs after calls by the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson to support “elements” that would ensure a “peaceful transition” in the Islamic Republic. Tehran also officially delivered a note of protest to the UN.

Speaking last Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the 2018 State Department budget, Tillerson said that U.S. policy is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and that Washington will support efforts of a regime change in Iran.

“Our policy towards Iran is to push back on this hegemony, contain their ability to develop obviously nuclear weapons, and to work toward support of those elements inside of Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government. Those elements are there, certainly as we know,” Tillerson said on June 14.

Tillerson also said the US could pursue sanctions on Iran’s entire Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Tillerson’s remarks sparked an avalanche of criticism and condemnation from Iran. In the latest development, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss charge d’affaires to Tehran to protest Washington’s policy. The Embassy of Switzerland represents American interests in the Islamic Republic after the US cut diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980 in the wake of the 400-day US Embassy hostage crisis of 1979-1981, RT reported.

“Following the interfering and meddling statements made by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson… the charge d’affaires of the European country was summoned to express Iran’s complaint about Tillerson’s anti-Iran remarks in the country’s House of Representatives,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement, Mehr News reported.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s permanent envoy to the UN also delivered a letter of protest to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, accusing Washington of devising a “brazen interventionist plan.”

Tillerson’s remarks “is a brazen interventionist plan that runs counter to every norm and principle of international law, as well as the letter and spirit of UN Charter, and constitutes an unacceptable behavior in international relations,” Iran’s UN Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said in the letter.

Iran further accused the US of flagrantly violating the 1981 Algiers Accords, a set of agreements signed by Washington and Tehran to end the Iran hostage crisis.

“The United States pledges that it is and from now on will be the policy of the United States not to intervene, directly or indirectly, politically or militarily, in Iran’s internal affairs,” Point I of the Accord reads.

Kohshroo said Iran expects all countries to condemn “such grotesque policy statements and advise the government of the United States to act responsibly and to adhere to the principles of the (U.N.) Charter and international law.”

“The people of Iran have repeatedly proven that they are the ones to decide their own destiny and thus attempts by the United States to interfere in Iranian domestic affairs will be doomed to failure,” Kohshroo said. “They have learned how to stand strong and independent, as demonstrated in the Islamic Revolution of 1979.”

Prior to the diplomatic maneuvers, the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said any US regime change game has always and will always fail in Iran.

“In the past 38 years, when has there been a time when you haven’t wanted to change the Islamic system?” Khamenei said according to the Tehran Times. “Your head has hit the rock each time and always will.”

The Foreign Minister of Islamic Republic of Iran, Java Zarif sent out a series of tweets:

“Before reverting to unlawful & delusional regime-change policy towards #Iran, US Administration should study and learn from history.”

1|4 Before reverting to unlawful & delusional regime-change policy towards #Iran, US Administration should study and learn from history.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 15, 2017

“The 1953 coup debacle & the 1979 Revolution proved that Iranian people are impervious to outside attempts to decide their destiny.”

2|4 The 1953 coup debacle & the 1979 Revolution proved that Iranian people are impervious to outside attempts to decide their destiny.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 15, 2017

“After decades of failed regime change & sanctions, US had to apologize for ’53 coup, and acknowledge diplomacy as the only option.”

3|4 After decades of failed regime change & sanctions, US had to apologize for '53 coup, and acknowledge diplomacy as the only option.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 15, 2017

“For their own sake, US officials should worry more about saving their own regime than changing Iran’s, where 75% of people just voted.”

4|4 For their own sake, US officials should worry more about saving their own regime than changing Iran’s, where 75% of people just voted.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 15, 2017

“A bigoted ban on Muslims will not keep US safer. Instead of policies empowering extremists, US should join the real fight against them.”

A bigoted ban on Muslims will not keep US safer. Instead of policies empowering extremists, US should join the real fight against them.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 27, 2017

“American extremists and Daesh (Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL)” are “two sides of the same coin, both seeking to negatively influence the country’s internal environment and make security issues a major concern for Iran,” the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in reaction to Tillerson’s remarks, the Tehran Times reported.

Tillerson said the Trump administration’s Iranian policy is under development.

 

Here’s video of Tillerson’s statements.

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