Parliament Speaker Calls for Collective Efforts among Caspian States to Fight Terrorist Groups

Rasa - Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in a meeting with Azeri Defense Minister Lieutenant General Zakir Hasanov in Tehran called for cooperation among Caspian Sea littoral states in fighting the terrorist groups.

News ID: 428991

Date: 18 April 2017 - 22:43

RNA - "The Caspian Sea must be the sea of peace and used for economic purposes and the interference of other countries in this region will cause trouble,” Larijani said during the meeting in the Iranian capital on Monday.

The Iranian parliament speaker underlined that the enemies of Islam are helping the terrorist groups by supporting anti-Islam militants who seek to create Islamophobia in the world in the name of Islam and Islamic ideology.

The Azeri defense minister, for his part, expressed his country’s firm determination to counter terrorist groups.

He added that the Azeri president has repeatedly announced that Islam and terrorism can never be put side by side.

Hasanov said he had held good talks with Iranian officials in Tehran and expressed hope that the two countries would manage to improve political, economic and military relations.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and Lieutenant General Hasanov in a meeting in Tehran underlined the need for broadening mutual cooperation in the defense sector.

During the meeting in the Iranian capital, the Iranian and Azeri defense ministers explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating bilateral ties in the military and defense fields.

During the meeting, General Dehqan pointed to the commonalities between Iran and Azerbaijan in cultural, religious, historical and ethnic fields as a unique phenomenon.

“Not only the region but the world is involved in terrorist trends like Daesh (the ISIL), Al-Nusra Front and the extremist groups connected with Takfirism, Wahhabism and US, Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia aggressive policies,” he added.

General Dehqan said that Palestinians, Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis are suffering from terrorism which has caused threats, instability and insecurity in the Western Asia.

He expressed hope that Azerbaijan and Armenia not permit aliens to interfere in their conflict.

General Hasanov, for his part, called for expanding defense-military ties with Iran, and said, “The recent talks between Iranian and Azeri presidents have paved the way for boosting cooperation.”

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