TEHRAN - A number of senior Iranian officials have lashed out at the so-called U.S. peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict titled “deal of the century”.

The reactions by the Iranians came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the general provisions of the plan at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side on Tuesday.

Iranians called the plan “highway to hell”, “most despicable plan of the century”, “Deveal (devil+deal)”, “' shameful, deceptive plan of the century”, etc. 

The White House claimed that the plan is the most serious, realistic, and detailed plan ever presented, one that could make Israelis, Palestinians, and the region safer and more prosperous.

"This Vision is just the first step and provides the basis for historic progress toward peace. The United States hopes this Vision will lead to direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians," it added.

Palestinians took to streets in Gaza and the West Bank to protest the plan according to which Trump favors Israel at the expense of the State of Palestine.

Zarif says the plan is “nightmare for the region and the world” 

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Tuesday that Trump’s “so-called ‘Vision for Peace’ is simply the dream project of a bankruptcy-ridden real estate developer.”

The foreign minister added the plan was a “nightmare for the region and the world and, hopefully, a wake-up call for all the Muslims who have been barking up the wrong tree.”

Zarif also called for global unity for the Palestinian cause, saying the so-called peace plan was considered as “sleepwalking into a catastrophe”.

FM says the so-called peace deal is  “highway to hell”

In another tweet on Wednesday, Zarif asked: “Could Mandela ever have imagined re-emergence of BANTUSTANS, decades after the liberation of South Africa?” 

The chief diplomat likened the so-called “vision for peace” as the “highway to hell”.

"Vision for Peace" looks more like "Highway to Hell". 

The foreign minister also said Muslims must “wake up” to this plot as the United States has proven that it has never been an “honest broker” in mediation between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime of Israel.

“We Muslims need to wake up: The U.S. never was—and can never be—anything resembling an honest broker.”
 
Writing on his twitter account on January 27, before the formal unveiling of the plan by Trump, Zarif also suggested that it is better that the self-claimed "champions of democracy” accept Iran's democratic solution for the more than seven decades of conflict in the occupied territories.

“Instead of a delusional “Deal of the Century”—which will be D.O.A.—self-described "champions of democracy” would do better to accept Iran's democratic solution proposed by Ayatollah 
@khamenei_ir.”

He said this proposal gives the right of the vote to all inhabitants of the occupied territories to decide about their future. 

“A referendum whereby ALL Palestinians—Muslim, Jew or Christian—decide their future.”

Foreign Ministry: Trump’s plan to stir up hatred, violence in region  

On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed outrage at “deal of the century”, saying it is a conspiracy to stir up hatred and violence in the West Asian region.

"The so-called 'deal of the century' is a sheer travesty, conjured up by rogue crooks to shatter the dreams of a long-suffering nation for human dignity and self- determination," Mousavi wrote on his Twitter account.

He added, "It is indeed a 'Deveal (devil+deal)', descended to sow everlasting hatred and violence in West Asia."

Rouhani calls plan the 'most despicable plan of century'

On Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani condemned the so-called peace plan as “the most despicable plan of the century”.

"Enough of these foolish attempts," Rouhani wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

"The Most Despicable Plan of the Century," he added.

Leader’s advisor slams Trump’s plan as “shameful, deceptive plan of century”

On Thursday, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei denounced Trump’s anti-Palestine Middle East scheme as “the shameful and deceptive plan of the century,” which is “doomed to failure”.

While condemning the so-called peace plan, Velayati said the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening considers it necessary for all Palestinian factions to close their ranks as a “comprehensive strategy aimed at thwarting the ominous goals” of Trump’s plot.

He referred to the Palestinian cause as “the most important” issue facing the Muslim world, saying Muslims are obliged to throw “unequivocal support” behind Palestine by “using all material, spiritual and media capacities, public diplomacy, holding rallies and enlightening public opinion.”

 Parliament speaker: Deal of the century total is disregard for international law 

Iranian Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said in a letter to his Muslim counterparts on Wednesday that the so-called “deal of the century” is total disregard for international law, conventions and UN resolutions and the charters of the Arab League and Organization of the Islamic Cooperation requiring to resolve the Palestinian issue.

In his letter, Larijani expressed outrage at the U.S. president’s act to unveil the fake “deal of the century”.

He also urged the Islamic countries to stand against this plan and solve Palestinian crisis by supporting a referendum in the occupied territories by reinforcing parliamentary diplomacy.

Top commander: Liberation of al-Quds number one priority of Muslim world 

On Thursday, Iran’s military chief also reacted to the unveiling of the so-called deal of the century, urging the Muslim countries around the world to reinforce their solidarity by overcoming their existing rifts in the face of the U.S. and Israel’s attempts to prevent liberation of the occupied Palestinian territories, most notably the holy city of al-Quds.

Major General Mohammad Baqeri, chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, made the remarks in a statement addressed to the Muslim world’s defense ministers and army chiefs. 

General Baqeri sternly warned about the implications of any laxity or silence in the face of the oppressive plot, urging Muslim nations to focus their efforts on healing their differences on the basis of Islamic guidelines amid the current situation.

“The Muslim world’s first priority is liberation of the Palestinian nation and liberation of the Noble Quds, which is Muslims’ First Qibla (the direction towards which Muslims stand when saying their prayers),” he said.

MJ/PA