Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Monday dismissed the U.S. State Department allegations that the Iranian regime has carried out more than 360 assassinations and terrorist operations across the world since 1979.
In a fact sheet published last Friday, the U.S. Department of State highlighted allegations that since coming to power in 1979, the Iranian regime has been involved in more than 360 assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more than 40 countries.
Accusing Washington of "lying", Mousavi described the State Department's fact sheet as "conspiracy, illusion, and fabrication" compiled for "psychological war and exerting pressure" on Tehran.
The State Department believes that these assassinations have primarily been carried out by the Revolutionary Guard's Qods Force and the Ministry of intelligence but also via third parties and proxies such as the Hezbollah of Lebanon.
The fact sheet also alleged that Iran uses diplomatic cover and is willing to use criminal gangs and drug cartels to carry out its clandestine operations abroad.
"As Iranian assassins using diplomatic cover have attracted increased scrutiny, Iran has shown willingness to use criminal gangs, drug cartels, and other third parties to carry out its assassination plots abroad," the fact sheet said.
"Given its dark history, the United States is by no means politically, legally, and morally qualified to judge other countries," Mousavi said and accused Washington of directly orchestrating 79 coups and regime change plots across the world through the CIA.
He also charged that the United States supports "fascist and drug-trafficking regimes" and "terrorist organizations" such as Da'ish and the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MEK) that Iran holds responsible for assassinating "17,000 Iranian citizens and officials".
