IRNA � Some Western countries see themselves in debt to the Zionists though decades have passed since WWII, while Iran has been the cradle of tolerance and origin of peaceful coexistence of ethnic groups and religions, said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday.

'Terrorism in the Middle East is the illegitimate child of US and some of its allies' incorrect policies for years and decades, which were based on using it for pursuing their strategies, such as organizing the Al-Qaida, Daesh (ISIS) and other extremist and terrorist groups, and imposing erosive crises, tensions and instability on the region,' said Bahram Qasemi in response to the remarks made by the US President Donald Trump in the Congress.

Qasemi said, 'Trump accuses Iran of supporting terrorism, while it is no secret to anyone that Iran, as the biggest victim of terrorism in the past few decades, has spent and will spend a lot on constant fight against the ominous phenomenon. It is impossible to deny Iran's role in defeating the Deash in Iraq and Syria.'

Saying that religious minorities are freely living in Iran and even have seats in Majlis (the Iranian Parliament), he added, 'Some Western countries feel they are still in debt to the Zionists though decades have passed since World War II, while Iran has been the cradle and origin of tolerance and peaceful coexistence of ethnic groups and religions.'

He added Iran has been home to followers of almost all the divine religions, which is a part of the ancient history and culture of the country.

Jews, like the followers of other two Abrahamic religions, have always been respected in Iran and have been recognized in the Constitution, he said.

'But no one can and should deny the fact that, unfortunately, what has been a blot on Jews' reputation is the antihuman and criminal measures taken by the Zionist regime.'

'In the past forty years, Iran has held more elections than any other country in the region, including the close allies of the US that have despotic dictatorial regimes. Undoubtedly, Islamic Republic has come out of a popular revolution and is based on democracy.'

He added that the empty, hallucinatory, and irrational accusations of the US president against the people and government of Iran cannot whitewash the images of the US and the US-backed dictatorial regimes that promote violence and extremism and kill the defenseless people of the region.