Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned US interference on Friday after President Donald Trump suggested he should have a role in selecting the successor to the slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iravani described Trump’s reported comments as “a clear violation of the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations".
“Iran is a sovereign and independent state. It does not accept and will never allow any foreign power to interfere in its internal affairs,” Iravani told reporters in New York.
He added that “the selection of Iran’s leadership will take place strictly in accordance with our constitutional procedures and solely by the will of the Iranian people, without any foreign interference".
In an interview with Axios on Thursday, Trump said he must be “involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader and dismissed Khamenei’s son as a suitable candidate.
Separately, Iravani reiterated that Iran’s retaliation to US-Israeli attacks has been legal and proportionate, noting that investigations are ongoing into alleged strikes on nonmilitary sites.
“Our initial assessment indicates that some of these incidents may have resulted from interceptions or interference by the United States’ defence systems, which could have diverted attacks from their intended military targets,” he said.
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