Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the Islamic Republic seeks to ensure security and stability of the Persian Gulf with the assistance of other littoral states. Iran News is covering reports of Iran’s officials attempts to bring peace to Persian Gulf with regional cooperation and aids. The Iranian defense minister made the comments […]
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the Islamic Republic seeks to ensure security and stability of the Persian Gulf with the assistance of other littoral states. Iran News is covering reports of Iran’s officials attempts to bring peace to Persian Gulf with regional cooperation and aids.
The Iranian defense minister made the comments in a phone conversation with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono on Tuesday.
The conversation came amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf following several attacks on oil tankers as well as a recent drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi fighters on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities.
About 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The United States and Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for the attacks on the tankers and Saudi facilities; accusations that Tehran flatly rejected.
Iran’s defense minister noted that no country can guarantee its security through undermining the security of the other nations.
He also rejected the accusations against Iran over attacks on Saudi oil facilities as baseless and said there was no evidence proving Iran’s hand in the air strikes.
“Those who accuse Iran either cannot or do not want to believe in the military capabilities of the Yemeni nation,” General Hatami added.
Japan’s defense minister for his part conveyed his country’s concerns over rising tensions in the Middle East.
“80 percent of Japan’s crude oil imports come through the Strait of Hormuz. The stability of the region is directly connected to Japan’s energy security,” Kono told reporters after their conversation.
Kono also called on Iran to play a constructive role in fostering peace and stability in the region with regional cooperation.
- source : Iran Daily, Irannews
