Zarif urges Gulf countries to cooperate against 'terrorism'

 Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday called on Gulf neighbours to cooperate against the common threat of "terrorism, extremism and sectarianism", but insisted that Tehran's regional policy will not change.

"Any threat to one country is a threat to all... No country can solve regional problems without the help of others," Zarif said at a news conference hosted by the Iranian embassy in Kuwait. 

"Our message to the countries of the region is that we should cooperate to face the common threat," Zarif told reporters after meeting Kuwaiti officials on his first foreign trip since the nuclear deal with world powers.

"Iran has always supported the people of this region in confronting the common threat which is terrorism, extremism and sectarianism," he said.

However, Zarif also insisted that in order to spur cooperation in the region, it was up to other states to change their policies, not Iran.

"What is needed is not a change in Iranian policy but a change in the policy of some countries that want conflict and war in this region," Zarif said.

Zarif earlier met His Highness Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Sabah, who was not present at the press conference.

Zarif also denied as "baseless" claims by a regional country that it had detained two men for trying to smuggle weapons from Iran.

"I openly say the claims are totally wrong," he said.

"The timing of the announcement is an attempt to prevent any progress in cooperation between Iran and other Gulf countries," Zarif said.

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".

"However we will continue doing so and we insist that the oppressed people need attention," he said.

Zarif's tour will also take him to Qatar and Iraq.

The Iranian minister also strongly attacked the war in Yemen and called for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue.

The nuclear accord between Iran and Western powers, struck on July 14, imposes certain controls on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for a lifting of crippling economic sanctions.

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 IS.

Asked if Iran will change its policy in Syria and Iraq following the deal, Zarif said Iran has been at the forefront in fighting against the IS militant group and Al Qaeda, and its timely interference prevented the fall of Baghdad and Arbil to IS.

Echoing that message in a speech earlier on Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on a visit to Iran's Kurdistan Province: "The Iranian nation supports all oppressed nations."

"If it wasn't for Iran, Erbil and Baghdad would have also fallen to the terrorists (of Islamic State) ... Just as we defended Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah (in Iraqi Kurdistan), if any country in the whole region is a victim of aggression, the Iranian nation will defend the oppressed," Rouhani added.

Zarif will return to Tehran next week where he will host EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini before meeting his French counterpart Laurent Fabius.

Source: Timesofoman