Iran Summons Polish Envoy over Planned Anti-Iran Meeting

Poland’s charge d’affaires in Tehran was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday in protest at a so-called conference on Middle East peace and security that the United States is going to hold jointly with Poland in Warsaw on February 13 and 14.

In the meeting, the director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s department for Eastern Europe affairs voiced protest to the Polish government for working with the US to host the planned anti-Iran conference, saying, “This is a hostile US move against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Poland is expected to refrain from keeping the US company in holding such a conference.”

In response, the Polish diplomat provided an explanation for the conference, saying it would not be an anti-Iran gathering and that Poland’s stances differ from the American officials’ recent comments.

The Iranian official said the explanation was “insufficient”, stressing that the Polish government must take immediate action to make up for the decision, otherwise “the Islamic Republic of Iran will have to take retaliatory measures.”

Pointing to the historical ties between Tehran and Warsaw, the Polish charge d’affaires said he would convey Iran’s message to Polish officials.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has denounced the planned event in Poland as a “desperate anti-Iran circus.”

Zarif has also reminded Poland of the favor that Iran has done the Polish during the second world war, noting, “Polish government can't wash the shame: while Iran saved Poles in WWII, it now hosts desperate anti-Iran circus.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that the meeting would “focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security here in this region, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence.”

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