- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
TEHRAN, Apr 05 - Moscow has warned Washington over claims that Iran was behind the deaths of more than 600 US troops in Iraq, saying the allegation is aimed at escalating tensions with Tehran.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - "We were surprised to read the statement by US State Department Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, in which he claims that Iran is involved in the death of 600 US troops in Iraq," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday.
Zakharova stressed that the US needs to be held responsible for its provocative statements amid Washington's extreme "anti-Iranian sentiment."
"There is an impression that the US is thinking up another excuse to explain the escalation of relations with Iran if they deem it appropriate," she said.
Zakharova's comments come after Hook made the allegations citing a Pentagon report on Tuesday. Hook also stated that the US is not looking to grant any further sanction waivers to countries importing Iranian oil in a bid to ramp up pressure on Iran.
Warning of a new escalation of US pressure against Iran, Zakharova highlighted Washington's occupation of Iraq in 2003 as a demonstration of the country's "aggressive" foreign policy.
"There should be no doubt that American intervention against Iraq will remain in history as the gravest violation of international law and a de facto criminal act," she said.
The spokeswoman further advised the US "not to look for excuses to start a new conflict, increasing the suffering throughout the world with its aggressive policy."
The US, backed by the UK, invaded Iraq under the pretext that the regime of Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in 2003. No such weapons were ever found in Iraq.
More than one million Iraqis were killed as a result of the invasion and subsequent occupation of the country, according to the California-based investigative organization Project Censored.
US policies in Iraq further led to the emergence of many terrorist groups in the country, ultimately leading to the creation of the infamous Daesh Takfiri terrorist group which overran vast swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
Iran, however, has been offering military advisory support to Iraq, along with Syria, at the request of their governments, enabling their forces to speed up their gains on various fronts against the terror outfits.
Following Daesh's defeat in Iraq in late 2017, Baghdad has further deepened its political and economic ties with Tehran seeking assistance in post-war reconstruction.
Heading a high-level delegation, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran made a historic visit to Iraq last month.
The two neighbors announced several economic trade deals, including in the fields of energy, railway, health, investment, and tourism, with the aim of increasing their annual trade volume from the current $12 billion to $20 billion and offsetting new American sanctions on Tehran.
Observers have described the visit as a clear message to the US, whose President Donald Trump year made an unannounced trip to a military base in Iraq’s al-Anbar Province last year, where no Iraqi officials were present to receive him.
Trump's abrupt visit prompted many Iraqi figures and lawmakers to call for a complete removal of US troops from the country.
Source: Presstv
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