Iran Blames US for Killing of Russian Ambassador

One of Iran’s top foreign policy voices, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said on December 23 that Washington is responsible for the recent killing of the Russian ambassador to Turkey. “I think it is most likely that the Americans are behind it,” he alleged. “Turkey is a member of NATO and Turkey’s extremely intimate close ties to Russia are not something that make the Americans happy.” According to Boroujerdi, the assassination of the Russian ambassador “was a warning to Turkey to [only] travel on the path that the US desires.”

 

Comment:

 

The outlandish comments by this top Iranian official, who provided no proof to substantiate the claim, are reckless. But at the same time, they are a routine performance by officials in Tehran. Dabbling in all sorts of conspiracy theories and blaming all the ills of the Middle East on the US and her allies are a standard Iranian formula.