Iran slams anti-Iranian provisions of US 2023 NDAA as baseless

• 

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has condemned the anti-Iranian provisions of the United States 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), stressing that some baseless claims made in the document about the Islamic Republic of Iran's regional activities are consistent with the US' destructive and destabilizing role in the Gulf and West Asia.

“Some of the anti-Iranian provisions included in the US 2023 NDAA reflect the continuation of the hostile, provocative, and interventionist beliefs and policies of the United States and are meant to promote the Iranophobia campaign and to create an atmosphere of security (threats) against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Kanaani said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he noted that the document's baseless charges regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear operations came despite the fact that the US administration broke international conventions and regulations by unilaterally withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program in 2018.

The official went on to say that despite not being able to use all of its rights under the agreement, Iran was instrumental in keeping it alive by efforts and diplomatic flexibility.

Kanaani declared that “bilateral collaboration between Iran and other governments is aimed at preserving partner nations' shared interests, and is not directed at third parties."

“The US itself has been involved in (weapons) sales and military and defense cooperation contracts in the region more than any other country and it has exacerbated the risks to regional peace and stability by setting up numerous military bases in the region,” the Iranian official stressed.

He reiterated that the development of nuclear weapons has no place in Iran's military doctrine and that Tehran is well aware of its rights and obligations as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA).

“With no doubt, making baseless claims about the peaceful nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran does not help efforts to legitimize the illegal and unilateral moves and sanctions of the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iran has proven that it will not submit to the logic of bullying,” Kanaani concluded.

It is worth noting that Iran has recently been the target of Western-fueled riots since the death of Mahsa Amini, whose demise was wrongfully blamed on the Iranian police.

Additionally, the Islamic Republic was also affected by sanctions imposed by the United States on more than 40 people and entities from nine countries, including Russia, Iran, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for having alleged connections to corruption and human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, the European Union announced last week that it would agree on a "very tough" package of sanctions against Iran.

"(The EU) will take any action we can to support young women and peaceful demonstrators," EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell claimed.

It is noteworthy that in mid-November, the bloc imposed sanctions on 29 Iranian officials and three organizations over western-backed riots in the country.