Not Without My Mullahs: Russia Declines Warsaw Conference After Iran Not Invited

Far be it from Russia to show loyalty in geopolitics, but in this case, Russia says since Iran is not invited to next month’s world conference on the Middle East taking place in Warsaw, they will also turn down the invitation, according to Poland’s foreign minister. The conference, which has garnered much media attention so far, will take place February 13-14 and will be hosted by Poland and the United States. Iran’s regime has already voiced harsh criticism toward Poland and the decision to host a conference of this nature. It is Tehran’s rogue rhetoric which was “hard to accept” and which ultimately helped make the decision on withholding the invite from Iran, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said in a statement which was published Monday. He also said that Moscow, in turn, said that they will turn down the invitation. Following Sec. of State Michael Pompeo’s announcement about the event Jan. 11, Iran regime officials summoned Poland’s top diplomat in the country and canceled a Polish film festival. Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is quite active on Twitter, said, “Reminder to host/participants of anti-Iran conference: those who attended last U.S. anti-Iran show are either dead, disgraced, or marginalised. And Iran is stronger than ever.” He went on to write that “while Iran saved Poles in WWII, it now hosts desperate anti-Iran circus.” Pompeo made the announcement about the conference while on an eight-day tour of the Middle East and emphasized that the U.S. is “redoubling” efforts to place pressure on Tehran while demonstrating to allies that it is committed to fighting ISIS despite President Trump’s announcement to pull troops out of Syria. The meeting, designed to discuss constructive ways to curb Iran’s growing influence in the region, will bring together leaders from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. About 70 countries have been invited. While Europe has teetered, the U.S. has been clear in its message to Tehran with President Trump withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal in May of last year and continuing to press Iran’s regime with economic sanctions. Although Poland has supported the EU’s efforts to keep the nuclear deal, Czaputowicz said in a statement, the agreement does not stop Iran from activities destabilizing the region. He said he hoped the conference would help reconcile the differing positions of the EU and the U.S. EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has said that she will not attend the conference.