Amir-Abdollahian:

Linking Al-Qaeda to Iran patently absurd, baseless

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has categorically dismissed claims made by the US administration about the presence of a leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group in Iran.

Linking Al-Qaeda to Iran patently absurd, baseless

MEHR: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has categorically dismissed claims made by the US administration about the presence of a leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group in Iran.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remark in a post on his Twitter account on Thursday after US State Department spokesman Ned Price claimed that Seif al-Adel, the new leader of al-Qaeda, was based in Iran, without providing any evidence to substantiate the allegation.

“I advise White House to stop the failed Iranophobia game. Linking Al-Qaeda to Iran is patently absurd and baseless. Those who created Al-Qaeda and DAESH must be held accountable for spreading terrorism worldwide. Don't give false address!” the top Iranian diplomat noted.

Price accused Iran at a press briefing on Wednesday of “offering safe haven to al-Qaeda,” and providing “support for terrorism.”

Asked by a reporter what the United States would do if Adel was in Iran, the US State Department spokesman said Washington was determined not to allow threats to emerge and would closely coordinate with its European allies to confront “all the challenges Iran poses.”

The US claim comes as Iran, which is one of the biggest victims of terrorism, has been lauded as one of the pioneers in the fight against terrorism in the West Asia region.

Washington, as the main supporter of anti-Iran terrorism, has in numerous reports been proved to have created, trained and supported Daesh and other terror outfits to wreak havoc across the oil-rich region to plunder its resources.