IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran sees lasting security as possible only through cooperation, partnership, and peace with its neighbors.

Speaking at the 20th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of States on Tuesday, Rouhani said, “Iran is ready to share its experiences with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the fight against coronavirus.”

“Iran emphasizes its principled policy of good neighborliness and dialogue with its neighbors, and sees lasting security as possible only through cooperation, partnership, and peace,” he added.

“Presenting Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE), participating in the Astana Peace Talks, supporting the peace and stability in Afghanistan and the need for multilateral cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are examples of Iran’s participation in ensuring lasting security in the region and the world,” Rouhani said.

Some excerpts of President Rouhani’s speech are as follows:

“At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude to His Excellency Mr Vladimir Putin, the Honourable President of the Russian Federation for organising this summit. I am also delighted to have found the opportunity to be participating in the summit, albeit through video-conference.

The world is presently in a precarious situation. On the one hand, COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly ravaged economies, particularly the livelihood of the people, and has posed grave threats to individual lives. On the other hand, U.S.’ pursuance of unilateralism and dismissal of respect for international law and institutions has further burdened co-thinking countries to double down their efforts to strengthen cooperation and form a united front in the face of both challenges combined.”

“In order to counter the shared challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, it is urgent that SCO member states, in coordination with the UN and WHO, proceed to adopt a coherent and unified approach whereby they should ensure the full, free and equitable access of all regional and global populations to healthcare services and medical equipment intended for better combat against the disease. To this end and for improving on their conditions, the Islamic Republic of Iran provided some regional countries with humanitarian aid. We also register our readiness to share with other member states our experiences in combating COVID-19.”

He went on to say, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has invariably emphasized its principled policy of strengthening good neighborliness, confidence-building and dialogue with its neighbors in such regions as Eurasia, the Persian Gulf and West and South Asia. For the Islamic Republic of Iran, sustainable security is viable but through cooperation, participation and peace. The proposal of the Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE), involvement in the Astana Peace Process, supporting peace and stability in Afghanistan and emphasis on increased multilateral cooperation among SCO member states are notable examples, to name a few, of the attention extended by the Islamic Republic of Iran to participation and cooperation for sustainable regional and global security.”

President Rouhani added, “In order to address regional challenges in security, political and economic fronts, the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes cooperation within the framework of the SCO Iran has always equalised the security of the surrounding region with its own security and has unfailingly exercise efforts to preserve regional peace and stability. Along similar lines, we will continue our cooperation with our partners as also with the SCO to effectively counter terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.”

He said, “Combating terrorism, extremism and separatism is a pivotal principle in cooperation bids among regional countries and SCO members. Averting the spread of an ideology of violence and extremism, collectively dealing with currants and entities that breed and disseminate extremist thinking in the region, and identifying inception grounds of terrorist groups as well as their sponsors and financial resources are one of the crucial joint missions of the SCO under collective security. Owing to years of extensive experience in combating terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran registers its readiness for action against such terrorist groups as also against extremism. Earlier this year, one of the greatest commanders of the forefront of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s struggle against terrorism, Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, was, in an act of cowardice, assassinated and martyred by the very creators and sponsor of Takfiri and terrorist currents. Nevertheless, we are still determined to pursue our cause of complete suppression of extremist terrorists and extermination of occupation by outsiders. In this regard, the resolution tabled by Iran titled “World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE)” passed by UNGA with 190 affirmative votes in December 2013, could serve SCO for further practical measures.”

The president further said, “The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently been based on good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence and ever-increasing development of trade and economic ties with neighbours and friendly countries to serve the goal of regional economic growth and development. In this context, we have presented initiatives and have welcomed the initiatives of friendly countries as well. It is necessary to make maximum use of joint cooperation opportunities for the betterment of welfare and livelihoods of the residents of this region as also for regional sustainable development and poverty alleviation.”

President Rouhani continued, “Political and economic multilateralism has been seriously threatened in recent years with the US attempting to impose, with unmitigated bullying, its domestic policies and laws on the world order and countries with political independence. The U.S. presidential election results showed, yet again, that the world is not alone in opposing the wrong policies of the incumbent U.S. administration. The very U.S. public has been beset by such policies. The U.S. people saw the world’s response to bullying, law aversion, breaches of international commitments, threatening and functioning and decided to bring about a change. Once again, the history imposed the eats reality on the ruling arena and the political sphere and taught another lesson to adventurers, war-mongers, adversaries of nations’ rights and violators of undisputed international rights. The US presidential election results shows that a country constantly wielding threats, sanctions and sticks and taking a bullying tone with other nations must be pursuing a misled foreign policy.”

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