Iran FM says arms race in region not to benefit anyone

TEHRAN, (MNA) – The Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that the arms race in the West Asia region will be in no one's interest, calling for more cooperation among regional states for tackling problems.

Speaking at the third meeting of Iranian-Arabic dialogues, the foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that, "We have passed the stage of Iranian-Arabic dialogues and entered into regional dialogues, and even beyond that, we are in the stage of regional cooperation."

"Iran is determined to deepen the understanding and empathy among the countries of the region, and the decisive approach of Ayatollah Raeisi's government in focusing on the neighborhood policy is based on realizing this fundamental viewpoint," he said.

"Regional security cannot be achieved but through the cooperation of the countries of the region. Insecurity in a part of the region causes insecurity in the entire region. We must come to the conclusion that turning our region into a weapons depot does not bring security to any of the countries and to the region," he added.

"Security can only be achieved through empathy and cooperation," he added.

Amir-Abdollahian further said that the normalized relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia bears testimony to increased cooperation in the region and collectivisim. "We believe that Iran and Saudi Arabia have many opportunities for cooperation with their existing potential and capabilities in the region and the Islamic world," he added.

"Our joint assessment of the relations between the two countries over the past year shows good successes in the field of multi-layered development of cooperation. Although we are still at the beginning of the path, the cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Persian Gulf is a serious issue for Iran."

"We and Bahrain are thinking about further steps and the return of relations to normalcy," added the Iranian minister later.

He reiterated Iran's democratic plan for Palestine issue and explained that Iran has presented the democratic plan of holding a referendum among the original residents of Palestine, including Christians, Jews and Muslims, years ago and registered it in the United Nations as a political solution to the Palestinian crisis.

"Iran believes that complete and true peace, stability and security in West Asia will not be created until the two issues of elimination of the occupation and disarming the nuclear weapons of the Zionist regime are not obtained," added Amir-Abdollahian later in his speech.

He further said that while President Ebrahim Raeisi administration has not linked the economy of the country to the removal of the sanctions and the revival of the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA, "We have always insisted that we will go on the path of diplomacy and negotiation and implementation of the JCPOA.