Iranian FM: No Place for Color, Velvet Coups in Iran

By Staff, Agencies

The foreign minister of Iran decried the West for its inaction on the police brutality in the US and Canada or its support for quelling riots in Europe and slamming the same action in Iran as crackdown, noting that velvet or color coups have no place in Iran.

In a telephone conversation on Friday, Hossein Amir Abdollahian and European Union [EU] High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell talked about the latest developments in the sanctions removal talks, Tehran’s bilateral ties with the EU and the recent issues in Iran.

Amir Abdollahian thanked Borrell for his constructive efforts to help secure a return of all sides to their commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], saying, “Despite some contradictory media statements by the American side, the steps toward achieving an agreement are on the right path, and within that framework, we welcomed the cooperation on the side of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] in the technical fields.”

Commenting on the developments unfolding in Iran, the foreign minister said, “The death of Mahsa Amini is regrettable to all of us. In that regard, an accurate and scientific report has been presented by the Legal Medicine Organization under the aegis of a remarkable number of medical specialists and experts. Meanwhile, a judicial process is underway regarding the case. Of course, this case serves as a pretext for some Western officials. The question is: what has the West done in the face of hundreds of cases revolving around murder by police of women and children in Canada and the US, in particular? The most violent form of confrontation with riots cannot be seen as a good and acceptable action in Europe while the same action, which takes place within a legal framework in Iran, is counted as a crackdown.

“Peaceful demands have nothing to do with riots, assassinations, arson, and terrorist operations,” he underlined, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, Amir Abdollahian said, is strongly backed by the people and an effective democracy, adding, “This is not a land of color or velvet coup d’états. Iran is an anchor of lasting stability and peace in the region.”

“Of course, we have a broader framework for cooperation between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran in view; therefore, we advise the Europeans to look at the issue with a realistic approach,” he added.

The foreign minister highlighted the role played by the Islamic Republic and Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in confronting the Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] in Iraq and Syria, which consequently enabled Europeans to benefit from security in their own continent.

He added, “We have defense cooperation with Russia, but our policy on the Ukraine war is against sending weapons to the conflicting sides and support an end to the war and the people’s displacement.”

For his part, Borrell said he was pleased with the progress made on the path toward reviving the JCPOA and stressed the importance of Tehran-IAEA cooperation.

He described a prisoner swap deal between Iran and the US as important and a step forward in efforts to reach an agreement.

The EU foreign policy chief also referred to the good progress made in New York and Vienna.

“We have no intention to meddle in the domestic affairs of Iran,” he added.

Borrell also pointed to some harsh positions taken in Europe and emphasized the need for further cooperation between Iran and the EU.

He referred to Iran’s position against sending weapons and drones for use in the Ukraine war, describing it as worthy of attention.