Iran has long fought terror

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s press attaché to the United Nations responded to US former senator’s claims against Iran stressing that Tehran has long been fighting terror.

News ID: ۷۶۹۴۰۴

14 September 2016

Hamid Babaei made the remarks while commenting on an recent statements by former senator Joseph Lieberman who had accused Iran of supporting the terrorist group of al Qaeda before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Babaei’s comments were published on September 13 by Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

According to IRNA, he said that the terror group in question, al Qaeda, has been a sworn enemy of Iran long before Sept. 11.

The full text of the article by Iran’s press attaché to UN appeared on the WSJ follows:

Regarding former Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman’s “Remember Iran’s Role in 9/11” (op-ed, Sept. 8): Mr. Lieberman melds a series of unsubstantiated allegations and innuendos made against Iran over the years with some truly bizarre conspiracy theories from Washington’s most ideology-driven and militaristic think tanks to make some heinous claims. In doing so, he is hoping to direct readers’ attention away from new information brought to light about the involvement of a new anti-Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the events of 9/11. Public attention and litigation, Mr. Lieberman fears, will force investigators to follow up on leads they previously ignored due to Riyadh’s status as an ally.

Untangling Mr. Lieberman’s web of propaganda and belligerence requires more ink then is afforded to us here, but readers should consider that the terror group in question, al Qaeda, has been a sworn enemy of Iran long before Sept. 11, 2001. Al Qaeda’s Salafist ideology has as a central tenet an uncompromising hatred for Shiite Muslims whom they consider, as they do Americans, infidels.

Al Qaeda and its allies all over the world commit crimes against often-marginalized Shiite communities. According to your own State Department, the so-called Islamic State, al Qaeda’s Salafist cohort but tactical rival, has committed genocide against Shiite Muslims and other religious groups. The Islamic Republic of Iran has fought these groups long before 9/11 and will continue to do so aggressively.

Moreover, Mr. Lieberman and his colleagues have a history of using the emotions raised by the attacks of 9/11 to manipulate the American public into pursuing militaristic adventures.