Speaking in an interview with Mehr News Agency correspondent on the sidelines of the 19th Ministerial meeting for Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) member states, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari spoke about the goals of this regional summit.
Taking into account that Iran has held the periodic presidency of the ACD summit since 2023, the Iranian late Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held its first session in New York, Safari said, adding the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran does not change despite the occurrence of recent incidents in the country (tragic death of Iranian top diplomat and president Raeisi in May).
Today, 41 delegations including 25 foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers have attended this summit, Safari said and added that the high-ranking diplomats are from 35 countries like Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Russia, Turkey and etc, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said, expressing hope that Iran will attain good achievement.
According to Safari, creating peace and security in the Asian region is the main goal of this summit.
Referring to 6 commities in the field of transit, human resource, tourism, innovation, trad , science and culture, Safari said that this mechanisms will boost Iran's economy.
Iran has held the presidency of the ACD since late 2023, following Bahrain's two-year chairmanship. The ACD, established in 2002 in Thailand and headquartered in Kuwait, is a unique continent-wide forum comprising 35 Asian member countries. It aims to integrate Asian countries into a cohesive community without replicating other organizations or forming exclusive blocs.
A fundamental goal of the ACD is to harness and consolidate Asia's strengths, enhancing the continent's competitiveness on the global stage. By maximizing Asia's diversity and rich resources, the ACD seeks to build a strong and united Asian community, fostering cooperation and mutual growth.
This ministerial meeting in Tehran is a pivotal moment for the ACD, offering a platform for member countries to reaffirm their commitment to regional solidarity and cooperation, paving the way for a more integrated and prosperous Asia.
Interview by Marzieh Rahmani