Canada seeks to undermine success of NAM Summit: Iran
By NVONews.Com Correspondent,
Alleging that Canada seeks to undermine the success of 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Tehran (Aug 30-31) Iranian Foreign Ministry and a senior Member of Parliament on Saturday accused it of “hostile behaviour” influenced by Israeli and British after Ottawa cut diplomatic relations.
Canada had on Friday announced that it was closing its embassy in Tehran and gave Iranian diplomats five days to leave the country. It branded the Iran as the “most significant threat to global peace and security”.
Canada cited Iran’s nuclear programme, its hostility toward Israel and alleged military aid to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the reason for taking the step.
According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast the Canadian move is a “continuation of anti-Iranian policies” adopted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, which has long had poor relations with Tehran.
“The hostile behaviour of the current racist government in Canada in reality follows the policies dictated by the Zionists (Israel) and the British,” the spokesman said.
On the other hand Chairman of the Majlis (Parliament) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi was quoted by Fars news agency on Friday that “The British government certainly seeks to lead its friends to the same path that it had taken. Therefore, this decision was in fact blind acquiescence by the Canadian government.”
Boroujerdi further said that Canada sought to undermine the success of 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and called on Iran’s Foreign Ministry to show a swift and firm reaction to Canada’s move and immediately expel the staff of the Canadian embassy in Tehran.
In November 2011, Iranian lawmakers voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom in response to the Britain’s decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran, over the allegation that Tehran’s nuclear energy programme may consist of a covert military agenda.
Two days after the decision by Iran’s Majlis, hundreds of Iranian students staged a protest outside the British Embassy in Tehran pulling down the UK flag and demanding the expulsion of the British ambassador.
Following the incident, Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague announced on November 30, 2011, that London is withdrawing its diplomatic staff from Iran and that the Iranian embassy in London will be closed and diplomats expelled.
Canada’s sudden decision to snap diplomatic ties came as no big surprise as the western nations are, one way or the other, trying to tighten their noose around Tehran.
Shortlink:
Posted by
Socialize