Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says Europe is sidelining itself in global affairs by blindly following the United States and Israel in international developments.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei

Baghaei made the remarks at a press conference on Sunday, accusing the European countries of turning a blind eye to the reality on the ground in Iran following the recent foreign-backed riots that erupted across the country.

"The European countries are deliberately ignoring the current realities in Iran. The European parties are fully aware of the events that transpired from January 8-10, during which peaceful demonstrations of the Iranian people were turned into violence due to the involvement of terrorist and violent elements who were equipped and trained from outside Iran," Baghaei said.

Even with all this in mind, European governments have been working to stir up hostility against Iran not just at the UN Security Council but also through their media outlets, he added.

The foreign ministry spokesman further noted that the claim of European nations regarding their concern for human rights in Iran is "a blatant lie".

"If they genuinely held such concerns, they would have lifted the sanctions that they know are adversely affecting every Iranian and are depriving our patients of necessary medical care and treatment. Such assertions lack credibility in the eyes of any fair-minded and informed individual," he said.

Baghaei also stated, "We are witnessing a deliberate denial of the truth and aligning with a narrative that has no other objective other than to stir up instability and violence against Iranians."

Reiterating that Europe`s claims concerning human rights are "unfounded," he said, "We have a vivid picture before us; a clear genocide that has resulted in the deaths of at least 72,000 innocent individuals, the devastation of the entire Gaza Strip, and the erasure of a historic nation."

He further called on European nations to rethink their stances, asking how many of them are even willing to mildly criticize these actions or to hold Israel accountable.

Regarding the rising tensions with the US, Baghaei said Washington is the party responsible for the situation, and that stoking tensions has become part of American policy.

He further stressed that it is not Iran that has sent troops to the US borders, nor is it Tehran that is meddling in the domestic matters of other nations today.

"Whenever they talk about diplomacy, they really mean dictation. We must deter the aggressor from violating Iran`s sovereignty," he emphasized.

What began late last month as peaceful protests over economic concerns across Iran gradually turned violent after public statements by US and Israeli regime figures encouraged vandalism and disorder.

During the unrest, foreign-backed mercenaries rampaged through cities, killing security forces and civilians and damaging public property.

The US president has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran under the guise of supporting armed rioters.