Iran Ready to Help Solve Middle East Problems, Says Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic is ready to hold talks with regional countries and help settle ongoing problems in the Middle East.

“There should be dialog on regional issues between interested countries,” Zarif said in a meeting with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal in Algiers on Tuesday.

He added that Iran’s contribution to dialog among these countries is one of the Islamic Republic’s important diplomatic efforts.

 

The top Iranian diplomat further pointed to recently concluded nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers, noting that the negotiations pose no threat to any country and even serve as an “appropriate opportunity for diplomacy in the region.”

He said the nuclear talks proved that the “language of threat” cannot be used against independent and developing countries.

On July 14, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia – plus Germany succeeded in finalizing the text of the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

The Algerian premier, for his part, said his country is determined to boost relations with Iran after the conclusion of the Vienna nuclear agreement.

Sellal urged all regional countries to adopt wise measures to solve the ongoing problems in the region.

Zarif arrived in the Algerian capital on Tuesday on the second leg of a two-nation trip which also took him to Tunisia.

In an earlier meeting between Zarif and Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, the two top diplomats discussed mutual relations and the latest developments in the region.

Zarif terms Israel biggest enemy of regional peace, security

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif deplored Israel as the most dangerous enemy of peace and security in the region.

“The crimes of the Zionist regime as the biggest enemy of peace and security in the region should be exposed and shown  to the world,” Zarif told reporters in Tunis on Tuesday.

The Iranian foreign minister then asked the Arab countries to help inform the world people of Israel’s crimes.

“Israel should be accountable to an international criminal court for the war crimes it has committed against Palestine and Lebanon,” Zarif added.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blasted Israel for its crimes against the Palestinians and support for the terrorist groups, and said the regime was created and continues its life based on terrorism.

“Certain governments are created based on terrorism and see their survival in light of terrorism and its clear instance is the fake Zionist regime in the Palestinian territories,” Rouhani said, addressing a congress in Tehran to commemorate the Iranians martyred by the terrorist groups.

“The (Israeli) government and regime basically started its job based on intimidation, terrorism and occupation and today it is continuing the same anti-human path,” he added.

Elsewhere, Rouhani blasted the western states’ double-standard approach towards terrorism, and said, “Terrorism will not be annihilated as long as collective determination and real resolve is not created in the world.”

“Today, there are powers in Europe and the US which keep mum on a terrorist grouplet and support a terrorist regime but are opposed to another terrorist group,” he said.

Rouhani voiced regret that certain regional Muslim states support terrorism and supply the terrorist groups with weapons and financial resource, and said, “Don’t they think that one day it will be their turn? No doubt that any regional country that helps the terrorists and massacre of innocents and Muslims, terrorism will backfire on them sooner or later.”

West’s double- standard policies preventing fight against terrorism, ISIL–Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed the double-standard policies of the West, especially the US, for the spread of Takfiri terrorism in the region.

“Putting aside the double-standard policies which prevent fight against the ISIL and terrorism in the region can render help to the anti-ISIL campaign,” Zarif said, addressing a press conference in Tunisia on Tuesday.

The Iranian foreign minister described Iran as a pioneer in the fight against the ISIL, and said, “We do not stand on the way of those countries that are willing to take part in the anti-ISIL coalition, but such a fight needs political will.”

Zarif reiterated that it is not possible to fight the ISIL in a country and help the same terrorist group in another country, blaming the US-led coalition for practicing a double-standard policy on ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

The Iranian foreign reiterated that the problems of the Muslim and Arab worlds can be resolved through dialogue, moderation and political means, and said foreign states should stop their interference and meddling and opt for negotiation.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani lashed out at the US and other western states for their biased policies towards terrorism, human rights and other important issues in different world countries.

Speaking in a meeting with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Tehran, the top Iranian lawmaker further slammed certain western governments for adopting double standards in dealing with important issues such as fighting terrorism, narcotics, human rights and foreign occupation, saying those who created Takfiri terrorism and provided arms and weapons to terror groups should now take responsibility for their wrong policies.

Also in June, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham blasted Washington for its dual-track approach to terrorism.

“The growing and complicated scourge of terrorism is rooted in applying double standards and a political approach to this evil and inhumane phenomenon,” Afkham said.

 

PRESS T.V, FNA

R.S