Iran’s President Renews Call for Middle East Free Nuclear Weapons and Other WMD

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renews Tehran’s call for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, urging an end to foreign interventions in the region.

“Our slogan is a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and [other] weapons of mass destruction, and we have been standing firm in this regard got more than 40 years,” Rouhani said.

He made the remarks while delivering a speech to foreign dignitaries and ambassadors in Tehran on Wednesday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

“Our slogan is that the presence of foreign troops in the region and their interventions must end,” Rouhani added. “Our slogan is a world free of violence and extremism” as it was stressed in the World against Violence and Extremism (WAVE) resolution submitted to the UN by Tehran.

In December 2013, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to approve President Rouhani’s WAVE proposal, which called on all nations across the globe to denounce violence and extremism.

Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Gholam Ali Khoshrou submitted to the world body an updated version of the WAVE in December 2015.

Khoshrou said the consensus on the draft and support for it on the part of various countries indicates that the UN must take immediate action for containing violence and extremism in the world.

He said that Iran’s foreign policy is based on respecting other countries’ rights while countering any foreign intrusion in its affairs, adding, “Based on this, we do not dominate others and do not accept any domination either.”
He said that Iran seeks good ties with friendly countries across the world irrespective of their religion.
 
 “The Iranian nation never intended, neither in the past 40 years nor before that, to launch aggression against its neighbors or ant other countries, and whenever our neighbors needed help, we have offered them assistance … without any expectations or anything in return,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani pointed to the 2015 agreement between Iran and major world powers, and said Iran has complied by all of its commitments it has signed, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which he said was well indicative of Tehran’s living up to its obligations.

He, however, took a swipe at the US for its withdrawal from JCPOA, saying the US has failed in this historic test and reneged on obligations.

“Under chimerical excuses and in defiance of all regulations, the US has created problems for itself, the Iranian nation, regional countries, and Iran’s partners and …. its world and regional partners,” the Iranian president said.

“Despite the US’s infringements and although Europe has acted so weakly and inefficiently in implementing its commitments, the Islamic Republic of Iran honors its commitments, which means that ethics, ethical and political obligations are of high significance to Iran,” Rouhani said.

He also criticized Washington for its “illegitimate sanctions” against Tehran and said the US has been doing its utmost to pile up pressure on and frustrate the Iranian nation but stressed that the Iranian people “are more united than ever.”
   
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