Addressing a meeting of United Nations Security Council on 'UN Cooperation with Regional Organizations' on Wednesday, Zarif urged the countries in the region to join Hormuz Peace Initiative (HOPE) floated by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
HOPE is designed to include all countries of the region and aims to expand cooperation beyond regional security.
"The Initiative is based on the fact that all regional states are duty-bound to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region. They along with the global community have common interests in maintaining freedom of navigation and transfer of energy," he said.
The Iranian diplomat stressed that regional cooperation is the key for preventing war, violence, extremism, terrorism and sectarian tensions.
Commenting on objectives of Hormuz peace initiative, he said that promoting solidarity, mutual understanding and peaceful and friendly relations and cooperation among regional states as well as boosting collaboration in uprooting terrorism, extremism and sectarian tensions and making sure about energy security, freedom of shipping and free flow of oil are among the objectives of the initiative.
Zarif went on to say that regional cooperation is necessary for fighting terrorism, especially in the areas such as the Middle East and Afghanistan where terrorist groups are more active than any other places.
MNA/IR83491536
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