Iran Calls on Britain to Respect Int’l Rules

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini on Saturday called on the British government to show respect for the national sovereignty of the world countries and international rules and avoid distortion of realities. The reaction followed a recent interview by the 15 British troops in the western media, which Tehran described as a premeditated interview dictated to the British troops by Tony Blair’s government.

According to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry’s Information and press Bureau, Hosseini further said that propaganda and theatrical moves and measures cannot veil the wrong action of the British troops in trespassing on Iran’s territorial waters and frequent violation of Iran’s borders.

He referred to the irrational methods adopted by the British government, and reminded, “The immediate transfer of the marines to a military base, dictating directions and the coordinated airing of the said press conference by the British and US media cannot harm the corroborative proofs, evidence and documents unveiling violation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s territorial borders by the British troops.”

“We regret that Mr. Blair’s government cannot understand the kindness and affection of the Islamic Republic of Iran in pardoning the British troops and that is due to Britain’s lack of knowledge about the basis of Islamic culture and Iranian civilization,” the spokesman said, adding that Tehran regrets that Mr. Blair’s government has adopted the policy of escaping forward and justifying the wrong actions of its military troops instead of adopting a realistic approach and honoring the good interaction of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s border guards.

He also reminded that the improper approach and options and exerting pressure on its own military troops is nothing new in Blair’s government, and added, “In previous cases when British marines violated our borders and made confessions about their trespassing, the British government embarked on dismissing those troops from the military forces of that country.”

To conclude his words, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman advised Blair’s government to respect countries’ national sovereignty and international rules and regulations and avoid distorting realities in the eyes of the public opinion in Britain and the world.