US plotting to fabricate pretext for attacking Iran, says FM Zarif

The foreign minister says Iran will ‘openly and directly’ defend its people, security

Reuters December 31, 2020

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

DUBAI:

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States on Thursday of trying to fabricate a pretext for attacking Iran, and vowed Tehran would defend itself even though it does not seek war

“(President) @realDonaldTrump & cohorts waste billions to fly B52s & send armadas to OUR region. Intelligence from Iraq indicate plot to FABRICATE pretext for war,” Zarif said in a tweet.

“Iran doesn’t seek war but will OPENLY & DIRECTLY defend its people, security & vital interests”, he wrote.

Instead of fighting Covid in US, @realDonaldTrump & cohorts waste billions to fly B52s & send armadas to OUR region

Intelligence from Iraq indicate plot to FABRICATE pretext for war.

Iran doesn't seek war but will OPENLY & DIRECTLY defend its people, security & vital interests.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 31, 2020

The statement comes days after US President Trump said the rockets that landed in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, targeting the US Embassy, were from Iran and “we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq”.

Our embassy in Baghdad got hit Sunday by several rockets. Three rockets failed to launch. Guess where they were from: IRAN. Now we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq... pic.twitter.com/0OCL6IFp5M
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020

Iran’s foreign minister dismissed Trump’s allegations that Tehran was behind the recent rocket attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad.

“Putting your own citizens at risk abroad won’t divert attention from catastrophic failures at home,” he tweeted.

Top US national security officials earlier this month agreed on a proposed range of options to present to Trump meant to deter any attack on US military or diplomatic personnel in Iraq, a senior administration official told Reuters, without describing the content of the options or say whether they included military action.