Speaker Denounces Divisive Efforts of Some Regional Countries

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani lashed out at some countries of the region for following divisive policies, warning the world about the threat posed by those who are after spreading discord.

News ID: 442552

Date: 21 December 2018 - 22:58

RNA - Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned the world of some regional countries' deceptive measures which are aimed at provoking misunderstanding and sowing discord among nations.

Larijani emphasized the strengthening of the unity between the Shiites and Sunnis, saying "one of the good points is the peaceful and friendly life of Shiites with Sunnis in Jask, Hormozgan province, and this was a key point recommended by Imam Khomeini since the beginning of Islamic Revolution, and this unity should not be neglected under any condition”.

Larijani made the remarks on Wednesday among the people of Jask in Iran’s Southern province of Hormozgan.

"If reconciliation is formed among the people of different sects and ethnicity, development and hope are formed in the country," he added.

In a related front, 10 day ago, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced the self-proclaimed strongmen of the region for causing war and misery, and said that stronger region is what is more needed under the current tumultuous conditions in the Middle East.

Zarif, in post on his Twitter page, urged all countries of the region to pursue dialogue and respect for international law instead of looking for strongmen, providing a list of most important factors that pave the way for making the region strong.

“What we need is a stronger region rather than strongmen. For this we need dialogue,” and “respect for international law,” Zarif tweeted late on Sunday.

The top Iranian diplomat also mentioned “inclusion, security networking, economic cooperation, and more people-to-people contact,” as other factors, which can help regional states achieve the goal of having a stronger region.

The Iranian foreign minister also took to task the “strongmen,” who have risen to power in the Middle Eastern countries, for the destructive role they have played in the region, noting, “Our region has had far too many strongmen who have only caused war & misery.” He, however, made no direct reference to any specific regional politician.

In another part of his tweet, Zarif brought up some key points included in Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's statement before the regional parliament speakers' conference in Tehran on the requisites for the realization of a stronger region.

Parliament speakers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, China and Russia joined their Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani in Tehran on Saturday to participate in the Second Conference on Combatting Terrorism.

At the beginning of the conference, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Asad Qaiser who chaired the first round of the conference ceded the presidency of the conference to Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

Also, in the opening ceremony of the conference, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addressed the event.

Before the commencement of the conference, the speakers of parliaments of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, China, and Russia were introduced to the President, and then posed for a photo.

Ali Larijani and the parliament speakers from Russia, China and Afghanistan delivered speeches at the event.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, President's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi, Parliament's General Director for International Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian and a group of parliament lawmakers were among the participants in the event.

In the first edition of the conference which took place last year in Islamabad the parliament speakers of Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China, Russia and Afghanistan decided to enhance regional counter-terrorism cooperation.

Earlier on November 20, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described his country as a pioneering state in combating terrorism, and said Iran, which is one of the victims of the weapons of mass destruction, is a major opponent of such weapons in the world.

President Rouhani made the remarks on Wednesday speaking at the regular weekly cabinet session in Tehran.

Stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the pioneer of fighting terrorism, he said, “Iran is the biggest victim of aggression, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction."

Rouhani highlighted that Iran's past experience in being victimized by the use of weapons of mass destruction is one of the reasons that now it is "the major state in fighting WMDs".

He added, “Today, we should be –and are- the top country in not letting terrorists take advantage of different financial systems for transferring money."

Iran has announced in numerous occasions that it welcomes bilateral and multilateral cooperation on combatting terrorism in the world, and it has been the major supporter of Iraqi and Syrian governments in their campaign against the ISIL and similar terrorist groups.

On Sunday, Iraqi President Barham Salih who was visiting Tehran at athe head of a senior Iraqi delegation met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and appreciated Tehran's assistance to Baghdad in the fight against terrorist groups, adding, "Iran played a huge role in defeating terrorism through its supports (for Iraq)."

On last Monday, Special Assistant to Iran's Foreign Minister in Political Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met in Damascus and the two sides vowed to keep up their mutual cooperation on fighting terrorist and extremist groups.

Iran and Syria have pledged to keep counter-terrorism cooperation and to counter US bids to revive terrorists and create obstacles to prolong the war in the Arab country.

Jaberi Ansari and President Assad reiterated the importance of Syrian-Iranian relations as a factor of stability.

The two sides reaffirmed both nations' determination to continue combating terrorist groups operating across the region.

According to Fars News Agancy, they also underlined the need for a political settlement as the sole solution to the Syrian crisis. They also vowed to resist any pressure by the United States, which is attempting after its failure to revive terrorists to topple the government in Damascus.

Iran has been offering military advisory support to Syria at the request of the Damascus government, enabling its army to speed up its gains on various fronts against terror outfits.

However, over the past few years, Israel, the closest ally of the US has frequently attacked military targets inside Syria in an attempt to prop up terrorist groups that have been suffering defeats in the battle against Syrian government forces.

Also, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi voiced Tehran's readiness to cooperate with the European countries in fighting terrorism and extremism, in his meeting with the Norwegian and Swedish ambassadors to Tehran, on November 05.

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