TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Thursday slammed U.S. officials for making “fabricated” and “unreal” claims and accusations to maintain the status quo in West Asia and keep it a tense region struggling with numerous crises. 

Qassemi’s remarks came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that Iran uses its energy exports to “exert undue influence all across the Middle East, most particularly today on Iraq.”

Qassemi said, “Relations between Iran and Iraq have been established with the [strong] will of two sides’ leaders and at the request of Iranian and Iraqi nations and are totally based on mutual respect and trust and common interests.” 

MH/PA