Speaking at a meeting with UN special envoy to Iraq Yan Kobish on Saturday, Ali Akbar Velayati said that Iran fully supports Iraq’s territorial integrity. He said that Iran is pleased that Iraq has been able to maintain its territorial integrity after the Kurdish [referendum] issue.
Terming his meeting with UN special envoy as fruitful and constructive, Velayati said that he and Kobish expressed their satisfaction that Iraq has now become an example of democracy for the Arab world, and agreed that this would help prevent foreign interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs.
Velayati said that Iran fully opposes foreign interference in Iraqi domestic affairs, adding, “Based on Iraqi’s government’s request, the Islamic Republic of Iran has played a major role in helping the Iraqi government and people. Iraq’s election scheduled for later in 2018 would strengthen democracy in that country.”
Commenting on Europe’s call for change in US policy towards Iran, he said, “What we have seen in the past few months is that the US has gradually lost its influence even in the United Nations Security Council. Only two countries supported US proposals to the UN Security Council. This shows the gradual decline of US influence in the international bodies.”
He went on to say that it is not as if though people around the world and the Europeans are just waiting around to follow President Trump, saying that no one heeds the illogical comments by US envoys at the UN.
Commenting on the US failure in achieving its goals through support for terrorist groups, Velayati said that for the past seven years, the US has been trying unsuccessfully to topple Syria’s legitimate government and to break up Syria. They have been helped in this regard by the Zionist Regime and the Al-Saud. He went on to say that after terrorist groups supported by US were defeated in Syria, US got directly involved in Syria, and dispatched its troops in Syria to break up Syria.
For his part, the UN envoy said that he agrees with Velayati that developments within Iraq are moving in the right direction, adding that Iraq has been able to defeat IS forces with the help of its friends.
He stressed that UN fully supports Iraq’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, stressing that it is important for the UN to help Iraqi people in their economic development, investment attraction and the fight against corruption.
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