Iran FM: Boosting ties with neighbors, region priority of new govt.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says bolstering relations with Iran’s neighbors and regional states is top on the agenda of the country’s new administration.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks on Tuesday in an address to a multilateral meeting on Iraq, which was held in New York on the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He reiterated the Islamic Republic’s support for the stability, security and development of Iraq as a friendly country, and other regional countries.

"We recently hosted the Iraqi prime minister. We hope that in the light of developing bonds between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq, ties with Iraq's other neighbors will come out of stagnation and turn into an active and dynamic process in line with the interests of the regional countries,” he said.

“Once again, I emphasize that the priority of the new government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to strengthen and develop relations with neighbors and the region. I hope such summits and meetings will lead to a new chapter of cooperation and participation between those in the region to achieve peace."

In addition to Iran, representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, France, the European Union, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) attended the ministerial committee meeting of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, which was held at the residence of the Iraqi ambassador in New York and was headed by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

The Baghdad Conference took place in the Iraqi capital on August 28 with the aim of easing tensions in the region.

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Elsewhere in his remarks, the top Iranian diplomat said, “Our reunion at this meeting reminds us that there is no way out of crises and problems, misunderstandings and disputes other than diplomacy and dialog.”

“In the absence of dialog and negotiation, the opportunities, facilities and resources of the regional countries and governments are spent on militarization instead of development and progress,” he warned.

Amir-Abdollahian also said Tehran has always called for inter-regional dialog, adding the experiences of the past 100 years in Western Asian have shown that outside forces have been the main obstacle to convergence and sustainable development.

He further underlined the need for “endogenous and indigenous security arrangements to create stability and security in the region.”

"Any form of foreign presence and intervention is contrary to the goals of peace and security in the region as well as the independence and sovereignty of the regional states.”

Iran, Amir-Abdollahian said, considers the Baghdad Conference an important step in supporting peace and development in the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran hopes it can open a proper environment for regional cooperation, especially in the economic field. The fight against terrorism and narcotics as well as cooperation in energy and maritime security sectors and collaboration to resolve environmental crises are among the subjects that regional countries can discuss,” he added.

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