“The policies undertaken by the West has fanned insecurity, violence, and terrorism in the region,” said Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on Tuesday.
The Iranian diplomatic chief made the remarks at the end of his two-day visit to Tajikistan’s capital city of Dushanbe where he attended the 23rd Meeting of the ECO Council of Foreign Ministers (COM).
“During this round of the meetings in Dushanbe, we assessed the goals and objectives defined in the “2025 ECO Prospects” which was formerly adopted in the Islamabad meeting of ECO, the adoption of the New ECO Program on Assistance to Afghanistan, as well as the administrative and financial issues of the Organization,” recounted the Iranian foreign minister.
“Also in this round of meeting, the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran was picked as the next secretary general of ECO,” added the Iranian minister.
“As regional convergence plays an important role in developing all member states and creating a good atmosphere to fight against extremism, methods to bolster ECO’s role as an important regional community were discussed in the meetings,” he noted.
He then pointed to his Monday meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and recounted that bilateral issues, regional problems, and issues related to extremism and terrorism were the areas the two sides exchanged views on. “We hope that the meeting help to expand Iran-Tajikistan relations,” the Iranian top diplomat said.
“What we have said repetitively is that the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect its national interests and Iran’s interests in the JCPOA should be met,” said Mr. Zarif when he was asked to give his opinion on the probable exit of US from the nuclear agreement of 2015.
“Assuredly, if US decide to leave the JCPOA, it will receive a reaction from Iran and the international community which would be totally unfavorable for Americans,” reiterated the Iranian foreign minister.
“The JCPOA is an agreement on a specified issue, i.e. nuclear issue, brokered after a unanimous decision,” he said touching upon the role of Europe in the JCPOA and the opaque policies of the European Union regarding the issue.
He also criticized the western countries for their policies in the region and funneling arms to the region and reassured that the Islamic Republic of Iran, has always been critical of westerners’ role in the region.
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