SHAFAQNA – MNA: Hassan Rouhani , Iranian President says that despite E3 move in blaming Iran for Aramco attacks in a joint statement, European leaders had told him in New York that they were unaware who attacked Saudi Aramco.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani made the comments upon arrival in Tehran on Friday from the American city of New York where he had attended the 74th session of the UN General Assembly.
“Some European leaders who issued a statement and leveled accusations against Iran said we do not know who had attacked the Saudi oil facilities,” Rouhani said in a press conference at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport.
Rouhani said that upon his arrival in New York, there had been attempts to put the blame on Iran for the attacks on Saudi Arabia Aramco oil facilities by casting doubt on the Yemeni forces’ ability to conduct such attacks, but “I told them firmly, send me your evidence. Where is your evidence?”
Saying that leveling irrational accusations would create more turbulence in the Middle East and would further fan the flames of war in the region, the Iranian president added that in the meetings, interviews and his address to the UNGA, he was able to enlighten on the accusations and other issues and thwart the plot designed by the Americans and Saudis to blame Iran for the strikes.
He went on to say that some countries such as Turkey and Russia explicitly rejected the allegations against Iran.
Elsewhere, Rouhani said that Iran is ready for negotiations and is not afraid of talks, adding that “it is the US that does not want to solve the problem.”
“The Americans had informed almost all European and non-European leaders that they were ready to negotiate. In fact, the Americans wanted bilateral talks [with Iran], that is, talks between the two presidents, but we had repeatedly rejected that. As we had already said that negotiations needed to be within the framework of 5 +1,” Rouhani said, adding that Iran rejects negotiation under maximum pressure and sanctions.
He also pointed out that he had explained during his interviews in New York that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue monitoring Iran’s nuclear activity during Iran’s actions in scaling back on JCPOA commitments.
He further referred to restrictions imposed on the Iranian delegation in New York by the US administration, noting that while the Americans sought to isolate Iran at the UN, “one of the most popular and active diplomacy centers was the Iranian delegation’s residence there.”
“In my opinion, the US was utterly unsuccessful. Iran’s position at the summit was quite clear. Almost all high-ranking officials in the world – whether from Asia, Africa, or Europe – would want to hold talks with us.”
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