TEHRAN, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned as "irresponsible" a White House statement that has blamed Iran for the recent unrest in the Iraqi city of Basra.

Such attempts to shift the blame onto others would not erase the U.S. "destructive" role in Iraq, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

In a statement on Tuesday, the White House press secretary said Iranian-backed forces in Iraq had carried out "life-threatening attacks" against the U.S. consulate in Basra and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

"The United States will hold the regime in Tehran accountable for any attack that results in injury to our personnel or damage to United States Government facilities. America will respond swiftly and decisively in defense of American lives," the statement added.

Qasemi blamed the U.S. government for interference in Iraq, saying that "that country's (U.S.) policies toward Iraq have led to nothing but insecurity and instability."

"The U.S. government must be held accountable for its years-long supports for such (extremist) groups in the region," Qasemi was quoted as saying.