Shamkhani: Normal ties with Israeli regime escalates tensions in region

Tehran, Sept 27, IRNA - Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said on Sunday that normalization of ties with the Zionist regime is big betrayal and violation of Palestinians' rights, saying it will stir up conflict and insecurity among regional states. He made the remarks in a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Shamkhani referred to capacity of regional countries with regard to maintaining stability under the shadow of regional talks and cooperation and without the interference of trans-regional states. He stressed the importance of collective cooperation to ensure international peace and security. He said that Tehran-Baghdad relations are of strategic importance, adding that by facilitating implementation of agreements, both sides will be able to present a successful pattern for all-out cooperation. Elsewhere in his remarks, Shamkhani termed assassination of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as the US terrorist attack, saying that the US is accountable for. He said that urgent withdrawal of the US, responsible for the crime, from the region and especially from Iraq where it happened would be the least possible punishment. He urged Iraqi government to seriously pursue the US criminal action through international justice bodies. Fuad Hussein, for his part, expressed Iraq's determination to develop relations with Iran, saying Iraqi government and people will never forget Iranians' support and sacrifice with regard to foiling Takfiri terrorism. He reiterated that Iran and Iraq are two neighbors and brothers which enjoy long common borders and also of commonalities. He stated that imposed war could not separate two nations meaning that no foreign country can leave negative impacts on two countries' relations.