Azernews.Az

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast has said that certain Western countries’ refusal to refuel Iranian passenger planes is not humanitarian, and Iran will reciprocate such moves.

Mehmanparast made the remarks during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday in response to recent news reports saying Iranian planes will be denied refueling rights at airports in Serbia.

"The refusal to refuel passenger planes is inhuman and is not within international law," Mehmanparast stated.

"Such measures that are being taken by certain European countries is a political game and is the result of direct pressure from Westerners, particularly the United States to exert pressure on our people," he added.

"We advise European countries to not involve themselves in such games because there is no logic behind them and (they) will not bear any fruit," Mehmanparast stated.

Mehmanparast also said, "We always defend the rights of our nation, and we have informed the relevant authorities that we will do everything in our power to reciprocate the refusal to refuel Iranian planes."

Asked about the fact that Britain fingerprints the Iranian nationals entering the country, Mehmanparast said, "A number of countries fingerprint all foreign nationals, and since our nationals are being fingerprinted, we will take reciprocal action."

Commenting on the appointment of former Maldivian foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed as Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Iran on March 24, Mehmanparast said that Iran regards the move as a political measure intended to exert pressure on the country.

On the news reports claiming that NATO plans to launch an attack against Syria from its bases in Turkey and has even threatened Iran, Mehmanparast said such reports fall within the media commotion, which is being fueled by certain Western media outlets.

"Our relations with Turkey are very good, and the reports that are being released about NATO’s actions have no basis in fact," he stated.

He also said, "NATO is not able to enter a new game" as it has faced many problems in Afghanistan.

And the Turkish officials are wise enough not to engage themselves in games designed by the West, Mehmanparast stated.

Asked about the reports claiming that the United Arab Emirates has planted a flag on an oil platform near Abu Musa Island, the official said, "The reports that are being published about Abu Musa Island are not precise."

He also emphasized that the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs belongs to Iran.