The Iranian Embassy here called an unusual press conference yesterday to denounce President Nasser of the United Arab Republic for his “shameless and irresponsible behavior” in attacking the Shah of Iran for his recent statement in Teheran that he intends to continue his de facto recognition of Israel.
Dr. Khosro Khosrovani, the Iranian charge d’affaires, told the press conference that Iraq had decided not to reestablish diplomatic relations with the UAR “as long as its ruler cannot even behave in accordance with the most elementary code of international behavior.” Nasser had reacted to a statement by the Shah of Iran July 21 reaffirming Iran’s de facto recognition of Israel by calling the Shah “a stooge of imperialism and Zionism.” Iran ordered the UAR Ambassador in Teheran to leave Iran in 48 hours.
The Iranian diplomat repeated that the Shah’s statement was “nothing new” and that Nasser’s attacks on Iran were a pretext to end the “bridge between Iran and other friendly nations and to divert the attention of his people from his own troubles at home.”
Dr. Khosrovani said that the UAR announcement of an economic boycott against Iran was a “farce.” He explained that economic relations between the two countries were almost non-existent. He said that Iran did not contemplate any move on the international scene in connection with the UAR dispute at the present time. He asserted that if world opinion was correctly informed on the “much-ado-about-nothing attitude of Nasser, he will realize how foolish he is.”
(Leading American newspapers, including the New York Times, the New York Herald-Tribune and the New York Post came out with editorials severely criticising Nasser for his outbursts against the Shah of Iran. They attributed his action to his fear lest the Arab states begin to realize that Israel’s existence must be accepted. They castigated him for his attempt to dictate to another nation and his assumption that he is the spokesman for the entire Moslem world.)
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