Iran denounces McCain's remarks about cigarettes

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's 1Foreign Ministry has condemned remarks by Republican presidential 2candidate John McCain that exporting cigarettes could be a way of killing Iranians.

The state-owned English language IRAN daily has quoted ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini denouncing the remarks as "inappropriate" and describing McCain's attitude as "regretful."

Last week, McCain was asked about an Associated Press report that the U.S. exported $158 million worth of cigarettes to Iran during the Bush administration in spite of restrictions on U.S. imports.

"Maybe that's a way of killing them," McCain said. He then said that he was joking.

Iran has officially announced that it supports neither U.S. presidential campaign but does hope the election will bring a change in U.S. foreign policy.

1

Foreign Ministry:

Secretary of state  

Ministry of foreign affairs

Foreign office:

U.K. government department: in the United Kingdom and some other countries, the department of the government that is responsible for relations with other countries

State Department:

U.S. department of foreign affairs: the department of the United States government that deals with foreign affairs and is headed by a Cabinet secretary and staffed by career foreign service officers

 2

Candidate:

[Early 17th century. Directly or via French candidat from Latin candidatus , literally “clothed in white”; from the white togas worn by candidates for election in ancient Rome.]