Iran's supreme leader condemned the two bomb blasts at the Boston Marathon, which killed three people and wounded more than 170 on April 15. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also slammed the United States for “silence toward the killing of innocents” in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria. The whole world pays the price after an attack on Western countries, he said on April 17. Exceptionalism will lead to the “downfall” of the United States and others, Khamenei told soldiers and military commanders on Iran’s National Army Day.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman also denounced the Boston attack. “Acts of extremism and terrorism have to be uprooted across the world, and no effort should be made to justify violence,” Ramin Mehmanparast said on April 15. He also warned against delisting terrorist organizations “under the pretext of supporting freedom.” Mehmanparast was almost certainly referencing the delisting of the Mujahedin-e Khalq by the United States and European countries within the last year.
The following are excerpted remarks by Khamenei and Mehmanparast.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
“…[T]he Islamic Republic of Iran opposes and condemns any kind of explosion and killing of innocent people no matter where it takes place, whether in the United States, Boston or in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria…
But the attitude of the United States and other states that pretend to be concerned with human rights and the killing of innocent individuals contradicts their silence toward the killing of innocents in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria…
What kind of logic says if children and women in Afghanistan and Pakistan are killed by Americans, and if terrorists supported by the United States, the West, and the Zionists bring catastrophes to Iraq and Syria, this wouldn't matter? But if a blast hits the United States or a Western country, then the whole world has to pay the price?…This belief…in their own exceptionalism, will lead to their downfall…” April 17, in a speech on National Army Day
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast
“We believe all governments must try to maintain calm and security for everyone. Acts of extremism and terrorism have to be uprooted across the world and no effort should be made to justify violence… Allowing terrorist groups to operate, and delisting them from the blacklist of terrorist organizations under the pretext of supporting freedom will eventually lead to instability and disorder, and will affect all people…[T]he freedom to operate politically should not be a threat to innocent and ordinary lives.” April 15, during a press conference
Photo credit: Khamenei.ir via Facebook