Zarif: Whoever starts war will not be the one who finishes it

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said any country that starts a war against Iran “will not be the one who finishes it” as he said the U.S. is “posturing” by sending troops and defense equipment to Saudi Arabia following the September 14 attacks on a major Saudi Arabia oil facility, according to Tehran Times.

“I think it’s posturing. I think it’s all going the wrong direction in addressing this issue,” Zarif said in response to a question on how Iran sees the development in an interview that was set to air Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

The Trump administration has blamed Iran for the attack by the Yemenis on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq plant and its Khurais oil field that adversely affected up to half of the supplies from the world’s biggest oil exporter.

US President Donald Trump on Friday approved the deployment of US troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said the attacks were an “act of war” while Trump announced he would “substantially increase” sanctions on Iran.

Zarif denied that Iran had anything to do with the attacks and said if the United Nations launches an impartial investigation into the attack “the outcome will be that it was not launched from Iran”

“We are confident that if the United Nations carries out an impartial investigation the outcome will be that it was not launched from Iran,” Zarif remarked.

Asked by CBS if he was confident Iran could avoid a war, Zarif said, “I’m confident that we will not start one but I’m confident that whoever starts one will not be the one who finishes it.”

“That means that there won’t be a limited war,” Zarif said, echoing his previous comments that a military strike on Iran by the United States or Saudi Arabia would result in an “all-out war.”