Iran objects to Tillerson's call for regime change, delivers protest at UN

Iran has objected to the calls made by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of supporting efforts of a regime change in Tehran and also threatening to pursue sanctions on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rex Tillerson said that Washington will support "elements" that would ensure a "peaceful transition" in the Islamic Republic and impose sanctions on Iran's entire Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

"Our policy towards Iran is to push back on this hegemony, contain their ability to develop obviously nuclear weapons, and to work toward support of those elements inside of Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government. Those elements are there, certainly as we know," Russia Today quoted Tillerson as saying.

Tehran has also officially delivered a note of protest to the UN after condemning Tillerson's accusations that the Islamic Republic had "aspirations of hegemony in the region," saying the remarks violate international law. Tehran further accused the U.S. of violating the 1981 Algiers Accords, a set of agreements signed by Washington and Tehran to end the Iran hostage crisis.

"The United States pledges that it is and from now on will be the policy of the United States not to intervene, directly or indirectly, politically or militarily, in Iran's internal affairs," Point I of the Accord reads.

Consequently, Iranian foreign ministry summoned the Swiss envoy in Tehran to convey Iran's strong objection to the US government over intrusive remarks made by Rex Tillerson and lodged a protest against Washington's policy. The Embassy of Switzerland represents American interests in the Islamic Republic after the US cut diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980 in the wake of the 400-day US Embassy hostage crisis of 1979-1981.

U.S. President Donald Trump on his first presidential visit to Israel and the West Bank, has escalated his war of words against Iran, demanding that Tehran should immediately stop its financial and military support for "terrorists and militias" .The US-Iran ties have deteriorated after Trump assumed office as he promised to cancel the nuclear deal with Iran.

The top US diplomat's remarks are "interventionist, in gross violation of the compelling rules of international law, unacceptable and strongly condemned," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said.

-ANI