Iran's new President Raeisi calls on regional countries to promote dialogue, prevent foreign interference to solve issues

Iranian newly-elected President Ebrahim Raeisi says promotion of dialogue and interaction among regional countries along with prevention of foreign interference are key to solving issues of the region.

"If there is a problem or an issue among regional countries, they should be resolved through dialogue and interaction and no room should be allowed for foreign powers to interfere in the region,” Raeisi said in a Friday meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Jaber Al Sabah, who is in Tehran to attend the president’s swearing-in ceremony.

He added that regional countries should further improve ties because enemies and ill-wishers are against cordial relations among them.

The president said the relations between Iran and Kuwait are much longer than the 60-year-old diplomatic ties and are rooted in the two nations’ common beliefs.

"There is no obstacle in the way of developing interaction between the two countries and I believe that a new era has begun in [promoting] cooperation among regional countries,” Raeisi pointed out.

Raeisi took the oath of office on Thursday to be officially inaugurated as the eighth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, two days after having his mandate endorsed by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

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He garnered almost 62 percent of the votes in the June 18 presidential election with a turnout of 48.8 percent.

For his part, the Kuwaiti foreign minister expressed hope that Tehran and Kuwait City would open a new chapter in ties, and said his country is ready to start cooperation with the new Iranian administration to draw up an operational plan aimed at enhancing all-out relations between the two countries.

Sabah also conveyed the congratulations and a written message from the Emir of Kuwait to the Iranian president and said the two countries should draw up new areas for cooperation in the region given their experience in the fight against COVID-19.

Iran, India play leading role in maintaining regional security

In a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Iranian president said close cooperation between the two countries plays an important role in promotion of peace and stability in the region.

"Iran and India can play a constructive and helpful role in ensuring security in the region, especially in Afghanistan, and Tehran welcomes New Delhi’s role in the establishment of security in Afghanistan,” Raeisi added.

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"The fate of Afghanistan must be determined by the Afghans only, and we believe that if the Americans do not carry out any act of sabotage in this regard, the conflict will be solved immediately," he pointed out.

The Iranian president also said Tehran attaches special importance to establishment of extensive relations with New Delhi, urging the two sides to “take new and different steps towards development of bilateral, regional and international relations with a new perspective."

He added that the Iranian administration would seriously pursue the policy of boosting relations with neighboring and regional countries, particularly India, and noted that Tehran and New Delhi enjoy great capacities in various sectors, especially in the economic and commercial fields as well as new technology, which should be utilized to strengthen relations.

The Indian foreign minister, for his part, said his country would make efforts to promote bilateral cooperation to the highest level possible.

Jaishankar criticized the current level of mutual relations as not satisfactory, and voiced his country’s determination to establish long-term cooperation with Iran in line with the interests of the two nations.

Arrogant powers fueling regional problems

Raeisi also on Friday said regional security and stability should be ensured by the countries in the region, and noted hegemonic and arrogant powers have never taken any effective step to solve the problem of insecurity in the region, but have only hatched plots to fan the flame of tensions.

In a meeting with President of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region Nechirvan Barzani, the Iranian president said foreign powers’ plots lay the ground for regional insecurity.

He added, "Regional countries and nations must be vigilant in confronting plots and covert influence of the hegemons and not allow them to interfere.”

He also urged firm steps to use the existing capacities to enhance ties and boos the welfare of the two nations.

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For his part, Barzani said the Kurdistan region is determined to open a new chapter in the economic, cultural and political relations with Iran given the two sides’ great potential.

He added that the Kurdistan Region is committed to safeguarding Iran’s security and would not allow anyone to use its soil to carry out any measure against the Islamic Republic.

Future does not belong to oppressive countries

Speaking in a meeting with Speaker of Serbia’s National Assembly Ivica Dacic on Thursday, Raeisi said the two countries can have extensive relations in various fields.

"Iran is a peace-loving and benevolent country and believes that the future does not belong to the countries that oppress others,” the president added.

Dacic said Serbia is an independent country and stressed the importance of devising proper plans to deepen cooperation with Iran given the two sides’ common interests in the economic field.

The Iranian president also held separate meetings on Friday with Speaker of Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Council Talant Mamytov, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shahriar Alam, Nigerian Foreign Minister Zubairu Dada Job, Speakers of Tanzania and Zanzibar parliaments Yustino Ndugai and Zubeir Ali Maulid and Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova.

Raeisi also on Thursday met Chairman of the House of Representatives of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko and Speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly Thandi Ruth Modise.

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