Azernews.Az

Thursday March 28 2024

Iran open for cooperation with Persian Gulf states

22 February 2017 17:25 (UTC+04:00)
Iran open for cooperation with Persian Gulf states

By Kamila Aliyeva

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi voiced Tehran's readiness to improve interaction with Persian Gulf littoral states referring to President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Oman and Kuwait last week.

In an interview with IRNA on Tuesday, Qasemi said that president’s trip to two Arab states also revealed the commitment of Islamic Republic to promote bilateral relations with its southern neighbors and its belief in the necessity of interaction and dialogue in the present system of international relations.

Although President Rouhani visited only Oman and Kuwait, Qasemi said that Iran is ready to promote cooperation with all countries in the Gulf region upon their own will.

"We have always striven for a constructive and logical interaction with all neighboring countries,” Qasemi said adding that this principle is unchangeable but on the condition that these countries show necessary interest and seriousness.

Iran has always sought relations based on sovereignty and non-interference in other countries’ affairs, pointing at the fact that Iran has not attacked any country in the past 250 years.

“We have said it before and we believe that regional security and peace may be only, and with the lowest cost, ensured through a collective move and solidarity,” Qasemi stressed.

Qasemi also called to cease repeating baseless accusations against Iran, contending that foreign powers interference in the internal affairs of regional states will greatly damage regional countries’ relations.

Regional states should adopt policies based on collective cooperation in the Persian Gulf region to ensure security and solve regional issues, he said.

The Iranian president’s trip is the latest step in the tentative process of engagement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iran after the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran reached new heights last year.

In 2013, Rouhani stated his desire for normal ties with the GCC during his inauguration, and Iran’s minister Mohammed Jawad Zarif had called for a dialogue over the past year.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cut diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after protesters torched the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates recalled their envoys in a show of solidarity with Riyadh, but Oman only expressed regret over the attack, highlighting its better ties.

Oman has traditionally resisted Gulf Arab states’ efforts to close ranks against Iran. It helped to mediate secret U.S.-Iran talks in 2013 that led to a historic nuclear deal signed in Geneva two years later.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

Loading...
Latest See more