Khatibzadeh: The statement is fabricated and dramatic.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, addressed the joint statement issued by the United States, Gulf Cooperation Council, and the E3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) regarding Iran. Khatibzadeh deemed "the meeting and the previously prepared statement" as "fabricated and dramatic," saying that it lacks legitimacy and does not deserve a response.

The statement accuses Iran of "provoking a nuclear crisis."

Pointing to the United States, the spokesman said that the US government is the one that vetoed the UNSC Resolution 2231 pertaining to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the one that is responsible for the current situation, and the one that is the only country with a history of using nuclear weapons and interfering in the internal affairs of many countries around the world. The US, he further said, is the chief exporter of arms and is behind many military operations in various regions around the world. Hence, the United States is winding up a crisis and is projecting it on Iran.

He added that countries that must be held accountable for their aggression against Yemen cannot level accusations against others.

In parallel, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein AmirAbdollahian affirmed Iran's determination to strengthen and expand its relations with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

AmirAbdollahian explained that various Iranian agencies are on the verge of a new phase for active participation in the cooperation arrangements within the organization, pointing out that "lifting the embargo on Iran and fulfilling its rights will undoubtedly have a positive impact on Iran's presence in a stronger and more effective way in regional cooperation efforts, especially in the IORA.