Barack Obama assuaging Arab countries by accusing Iran: Javad Zarif

Tehran: Iran's top diplomat has dismissed US President Barack Obama's recent anti-Iran remarks, saying the comments are aimed at pleasing Washington's Arab allies.

Reacting to remarks by Obama, who called Iran a "state sponsor of terrorism" in an interview with Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the comments were "merely a repetition of previous baseless accusations" and were intended to calm US allies, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

"These allegations have been proven groundless time and again," Zarif said.

During the Asharq Al-Awsat interview, which was published on Wednesday, Obama also said the Arab states of the Persian Gulf were right to be concerned about Iran`s activities in the region.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran`s policies in the region were based on "the enhancement of friendship and cooperation and responsible action to strengthen stability and guarantee security in the region".

The US president was hosting Persian Gulf Arab leaders and officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council in his Camp David resort. The meeting was widely viewed as an attempt to ease Arab concerns over a possible nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of major world powers.

The Islamic Republic and the P5+1 countries -- the US, China, France, Russia, Britain plus Germany -- have been negotiating to reach a comprehensive deal over a peaceful Iranian nuclear programme.Iran sought the removal of sanctions on the country in return for enhanced transparency in its civilian nuclear work.