Official: Boosting Cooperation with Regional States Top on Iran's Agenda
TEHRAN (Tasnim) — Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister for Security and Law Enforcement Affairs Ali Abdollahi said promotion of cooperation with the neighboring countries, particularly the Persian Gulf littoral states, sets a priority for the Iranian government.
“The progress and development of the neighboring countries is considered as the progress of the Islamic republic of Iran,” Abdollahi said during a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha on Tuesday.
He also said Iran attaches great significance to mutual cooperation with the regional countries, saying, “Iran regards the countries’ security as its own.”
Earlier, Abdollahi had said that the visit to Qatar was in line with a security pact signed between the two countries’ officials a few years ago.
The Iranian security official said a joint working group was scheduled to discuss various issues, including counter-terrorism, anti-illicit immigration patrols in coastal waters, fighting against money-laundering, and combating drug-trafficking.
On March 9, 2010, Iran and Qatar signed an agreement on security cooperation, describing it as a significant step in improving peace in the Persian Gulf region.
The agreement was signed in the Qatari capital of Doha between Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar, who was then interior minister, and his Qatari counterpart.
In mid march, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made his first official visit to a Persian Gulf state since taking the office in August 2013.
During the visit to Oman, Rouhani reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to boost cooperation with the neighboring countries, particularly the Persian Gulf littoral states.
