Iran not a ‘security threat’ to any country, says Zarif in Davos

According to The Iran Project, Zarif was speaking with CNN’s GPS host Fareed Zakaria at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

“Iran is not a security threat. Some are trying to present Iran as a security threat and use tools like Iranophobia and Islamophobia to justify their actions against innocent people, including in Gaza. However, these claims have no real basis,” he said.

Zarif, who led nuclear talks with world powers that culminated in the 2015 nuclear deal, said that those who claim Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear bomb, should have welcomed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons for at least 15 years.

“Iran has always been ready for dialogue and cooperation with regional countries. Our proposal for establishing a regional dialogue mechanism called 'West Asia Dialogue Forum' reflects our commitment to peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Pointing to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-standing warnings about Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon within six months, Zarif said that nearly 30 years have passed since those claims were first made, yet Iran continues to be labeled as an imminent threat.

Zarif reflected on the history of resistance in the region, saying that the concept existed both before and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. He cited the 1982 invasion of Lebanon by Israel as a pivotal moment that led to the establishment of resistance groups like Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

Resistance will continue to exist as long as there is “occupation, apartheid, and genocide,” he said.

Zarif reiterated that resistance groups do not operate under Iran’s auspices, but added that while Iran supports the rights of people to self-determination, these groups fight for their own causes.

Reporter : Editorial of The Iran Project