TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian security official said on Thursday that if the United States commits any "malicious" act, Iran will respond harshly by targeting its military and economic interests in the West Asia region, a response that "will be etched in history."
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei made the remarks during a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in the Iranian capital, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Rezaei highlighted Tehran's distrust of Washington, accusing it of repeatedly betraying diplomacy and negotiation.
He underlined that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz only after Washington takes practical actions to meet Tehran's conditions.
The Qatari prime minister, for his part, affirmed his country's commitment to cooperate with Iran, citing regional responsibilities.
Also on Thursday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Qatar's top diplomat that the current situation in the region is solely the consequence of the U.S. and Israeli "military aggression" against Iran, as well as the continuation of Washington's "interventionist and illegal actions," especially its naval blockade and economic terrorism against Tehran, according to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Araghchi pointed to Iran's principled position on the necessity of strengthening trust among regional countries to establish endogenous regional security mechanisms, calling on all regional countries not to allow the United States to use their territories and facilities to prepare and carry out aggressive actions and wage an economic war against Iran.
He said that insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz is a result of U.S.-Israeli "aggression" against Iran in cooperation with certain regional states, dismissing any talk about returning to the pre-war situation without considering the existing realities, as well as the crimes against and damages to Iran.
Araghchi added that Iran is determined to safeguard its national security and will use all its capacities to defend its national sovereignty and interests.
Qatar's prime minister highlighted his country's principled position to protect regional security and stability, stressing the importance of continuing consultations to reduce tensions and insecurity in the region. ■
