Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported Monday that Norwegian Ambassador Ole Christian Holthe had hailed Iran’s role in the Middle East during a weekend meeting with one of Iran’s top foreign policy officials. Norwegian ambassador to Tehran Ole Christian Holthe on Sunday lauded Iran’s effective role in the Middle East, IRNA said.
“This is unfortunately pure fabrication from the Iranian side”, Holthe told ABC News. “I have never hailed Iran’s role in the Middle East”, he said, according to Aftenposten.
He confirmed a meeting Sunday with Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Defence and Foreign Policy Committee. The meeting was held in advance of a planned visit by the Norwegian Parliament’s foreign affairs committee.
Holthe said he would deliver a formal complaint about the report to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
“During the meeting I said that Norways Foreign Affairs Committee would be interested in what role Iran can play to counter the strong tendency towards extremism and violent confrontation in the Middle East”, Holthe said.
He claimed that was misinterpreted into a claim that Holthe praised the role Iran plays in the Middle East today.
