Iran rules out possibility of war with US: official

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - There is no reason to engage in a war with the U.S., a senior Iranian official said on Wednesday.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, denied any possibility of war between the U.S. and Iran in an interview with Russia’s TASS news agency.

Responding to a question on the probability of a military scenario between the two countries, Shamkhani said: “No [such probability]. There's no reason for a war.

“But if the war starts, the people of the region will certainly win. Provocateurs, arsonists of the conflict are waiting for a sad end,” the Iranian official.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is examining all options to counter Iran in the region, including the military one.

Criticizing U.S. officials for their controversial statements, Shamkhani asserted they aim to create confusion.

"The interference of Americans in the situation in our region creates tension. Iran's policy is to ensure security here through the efforts of regional countries,” he said.

“Whether a thousand soldier will be sent or not, in any case it will have no impact on the will of the people in the region, which is that the U.S. must go," Shamkhani added.

- Shamkhani suggests dollar withdrawal from int’l payments

Tensions have been rising between the U.S. and Iran since last year, when the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from a nuclear pact between the Islamic Republic and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA).

President Donald Trump's administration has pursued a number of actions meant to scuttle the agreement, including the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil.

On the U.S. sanctions against Iran, Shamkhani suggested to express a dissatisfaction for the U.S. government actions "through the means given by the UN Charter", and to launch the dollar withdrawal from the international payments.

He, meanwhile, called the U.S. currency, dollar “a stray bullet that can hit everyone”.

Asked about Iran's further steps over the JCPOA, Shamkhani promised to act "in the framework of the agreement" and not to withdraw from it.