TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has advised U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson to take lessons from the failure of former U.S. officials’ hostile policies against Iran.

“The current U.S. statesmen should learn from the history, especially developments in the past four decades, and should be aware of the fact that using language of threat and harsh words against Iran has never come to any result and will not,” IRNA quoted him as saying on Thursday.

Zarif’s remarks came as Tillerson claimed that Iran was creating “alarming and ongoing provocations” to destabilize countries in the Middle East.

Tillerson told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that the U.S. was conducting a government-wide review of its Iran policy.

He accused Iran of following in the footsteps of North Korea.

In tweet on Thursday, Zarif responded, “Worn-out U.S. accusations can’t mask its admission of Iran’s compliance w/ JCPOA, obligating U.S. to change course and fulfill its own commitments.”

The U.S. cannot mislead the public opinion through leveling “unfounded accusations”, he told IRNA.

He also said that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action resulted from a review of wrong policies of former U.S. officials against Iran.

“Of course, the JCPOA is the result of a revision of the completely wrong policies of Mr. Tillerson’s predecessors toward Iran and the region in the past.”

The Iranian foreign minister invited the U.S. officials to be “realistic” in their actions and words and be committed to the obligations in the nuclear deal. 

The U.S. secretary of state’s comments contrast with his letter to Paul D. Ryan, speaker of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday in which he said that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal.

“The U.S. Department of State certified to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan today that Iran is compliant through April 18th with its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Tillerson said in his letter.

Iran and the 5+1 group - the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany - finalized the text of the nuclear deal in Vienna in July 2015. It went into effect in January 16, 2016.

NA