Ahmad Vahidi made the remarks at the National Conference of Iran and Neighbors in Tehran on Monday.
The interior minister said that although the neighborliness policy was basically a western concept, it needs to be redefined according to the Islamic Republic of Iran's perceptions.
"It is not like that Iran decides to implement this policy and that is all, but the neighborliness policy must be agreed by all countries in the region. There must be good awareness and understanding because this is not a unilateral policy that only we follow," he added.
“The Islamic Republic has always extended a hand of friendship to its neighbors,” the minister noted.
“The new government [under president Raeisi] has another opportunity to pay special attention to the neighborliness policy, but there are still obstacles and problems in the way of pursuing this policy including Western countries and opponents who are trying to undermine this policy,” Vahidi further asserted.
“We need to know that paying attention to the regional policy does not mean ignoring international issues and their importance,” he emphasized.
He stressed that relations with the world also matter to the new government.
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