Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif said during a visit to Baghdad yesterday that Tehran would like to clear up its political differences with the countries in the region.
Stressing that Tehran considers security of regional countries as its own, Amir-Abdollahian said the fight against extremism and violence along with strengthening regional ties are essential for achieving sustainable development and regional security.
Britain has briefed businesses on how they can capitalize on the new commercial opportunities in Iran that will now become available in wake of the lifting of severe economic sanctions and the release of assets following Iran’s landmark nuclear deal with world powers.
However, Zarif also insisted that in order to spur cooperation in the region, it was up to other states to change their policies, not the Islamic republic.
Ahead of his Gulf visit, Zarif said in a statement posted on his ministry’s website late on Friday that Tehran would continue supporting its allies in Syria and Iraq to fight against militant group Islamic State.
Growing discord with another Gulf Arab state, the island nation of Bahrain, threatens to overshadow Zarif’s outreach effort.
Bahrain on Saturday said it had foiled an arms smuggling plot by two Bahrainis with ties to Iran and recalled its ambassador to Tehran for consultations after what it said were repeated hostile Iranian statements.
“This approach is not constructive and it will not stop Iran’s trust-building policy to cooperate with regional countries to fight against extremism and terrorism”, Afkham was quoted as saying by state news agency, IRNA. Officials say the first suspect received military training in Iran in August 2013, and that the men admitted to receiving the shipment from “Iranian handlers outside Bahrain’s territorial waters”. A Shiite-led opposition movement in Bahrain continues to press for reform in the country, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Bahraini authorities have announced similar confiscations of contraband weapons and explosives in the past.
Iran has voiced support for those demanding change in Bahrain but denies it directly intervenes in the country.
Gulf Arab states are concerned that the nuclear accord will hasten a rapprochement between Tehran and Washington that could embolden Iran to increase support for paramilitary groups across the Middle East.
Commenting on the allegation, Iranian deputy foreign minister Hassan Ghashghavi noted Bahrain’s government disagreed with Iran’s “support of oppressed people in their country”.
U.S. President Barack Obama has stressed that all of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon are cut off for the duration of the agreement and Iran will remove two-thirds of its installed centrifuges and get rid of 98 % of its stockpile of uranium. “Iran has always advocated cooperation between everyone”.
