Ex-FM:

Iran Ready for Dialogue with All Regional States

TEHRAN (defapress) – Head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations voiced the country’s readiness for dialogue and cooperation with regional countries to contribute to peace and security.

News ID: 75510

Date: 10 February 2019 - 11:07

Addressing a forum held by Al Jazeera TV in Qatar’s capital of Doha, Kamal Kharrazi said what the region needs most at present is political insight and self-reliance.

“The countries of the region should hold talks with each other and make collective decisions to achieve peace and security without foreign interference,” Kharrazi, a former foreign minister, said.

“Iran is ready to launch dialogue and cooperation with all regional countries to share its 40 years of experience with them,” he said.

Kharrazi further highlighted Iran’s willingness to work with Qatar to ensure regional peace and security, stressing that Iran respects Qatar despite differences in certain policies.

“Iran extended its helping hand to Qatar because we believe that a single country could not dominate the region, and we deem interference in the policies of other governments unacceptable,” he underlined, without directly naming Saudi Arabia, which has imposed sanctions on Qatar.

There is no choice other than strengthening political trust and resolving disputes through dialogue, Kharrazi added, calling for trust in the power of Muslim nations.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly described dialogue as the only approach to resolving disputes and differences between regional nations, stressing that all countries and neighbors in the region should join hands to counter threats.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Yemen, Egypt, and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the claim.

Message end/