Special to WorldTribune.com

The United States and Saudi Arabia are responsible for the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and several other terrorist organizations, an Iranian official said.

The U.S., “accompanied by different countries like Saudi Arabia and others, … created Al Qaida, the Taliban, Jabhat al-Nusra, ISIL and other terrorist groups and have the record of the largest support for terrorism,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said according to a report on Oct. 27 by the semi-official Fars state news agency.

Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States since 1984.

Afkham said it was “ironic” that America and its allies were forming anti-terror coalitions while continuing “their financial and logistical support for the terrorist groups.”

The spokeswoman’s comments were said to be a response to U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby’s remarks that Iran’s funding and military aid to the Syrian regime and its support for terror proxy Hizbullah are “destabilizing” and “unhelpful.”

Afkham went on to say that the U.S.’s “dual policies” in the Middle East and “instrumental use of terrorist groups” were the main causes of the crisis in Syria.

The spokeswoman claimed that Teheran is “serious and determined to fight terrorism,” because it is a victim of terrorism, according to Fars.

  Al Qaida, Iran accuses U.S. of creating ISIL, John Kirby, Marzieh Afkham, Taliban with help from Saudis, Taliban with help from the Saudis, WorldTribune.com