Russia-Iran To Play Constructive Role In Regional Developments: FM

Tehran, March 13, IRNA – Strong Russia and independent Iran can play a constructive role in favor of their national interests and region’s security and prosperity, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday. Salehi made the remark in a meeting with visiting Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Yevgeny Lukyanov. Salehi congratulated the successful holding of presidential election in Russia, and called for further development of relations between Tehran and Moscow in various fields. “Iran and Russia can play a constructive role in helping to boost the of security in Syria and the economic and political reform in this country,” he continued. The FM criticized the paradoxical approach by some Western countries toward Syrian unrest and the Zionist regime's attacks against Gaza, adding that some foreign countries’ wrong approach in favoring military and political intervention in certain countries can provoke terrorism and extremism and regional instability. Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council for his part stressed the continuation of meetings between the Iranian and Russian officials to confer the latest regional and international developments. Lukyanov criticized the west's hurried and paradoxical approach toward regional developments as a source of tension and economic crisis and asked for expansion of relations between Tehran and Moscow in various fields. The deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Baqeri, also during a meeting with the visiting deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council has said that the strategic partnership between Iran and Russia will guarantee regional stability. “Iran and Russia have common opportunities and (face common) threats on the international stage… the strategic partnership between Tehran and Moscow is a win-win game for the two sides and the people of the region, which will guarantee the security and stability of the region,” he added. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian official pointed to ongoing political developments in the Arab world and said that the Islamic awakening of the people of the region has accelerated the decline of the power of the United States in the region. Lukyanov also criticized the West for adopting the double-standard policies on international issues and supporting terrorist groups in Syria. In addition, he said that Russia attaches high importance to its strategic cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all spheres. Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country. Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes. The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad. In October, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Bashar al-Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but the US and Zionist regime plots could spark some new unrests in certain parts of the country./end