Diplomacy, Sole Remedy for Regional Crises: Iran’s FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ruled out the military solution to the ongoing crises in the Middle East, reiterating that dialog should be the only option on the table.
“To resolve the existing problems in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and the like, dialog and diplomacy should replace military measures and violence,” Zarif said in a Tuesday meeting with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in the North African country’s capital.
He further urged third countries to avoid interventionist efforts, and adopt measures that facilitate peace talks.
Essebsi, for his part, voiced his concern over the expansion of terrorism and extremism in the region, saying that “real encounter” with this inauspicious phenomenon is a “common responsibility”.
The Tunisian president also expressed the hope for the reinforcement of bilateral, regional, and international cooperation, and for further consultations to help resolve the ongoing crises.
Earlier in the day, Zarif in a press conference had reiterated the country’s determination to cooperate with other countries at all levels to resolve crises in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Yemen.
“We are prepared to cooperate (with other countries) at all levels and within international frameworks to resolve the problems of regional countries, Yemen and Syria in particular,” Zarif said at the time.
The top Iranian diplomat arrived in Tunisia on Monday as the first destination of a new round of his international tours, and departed Tunis for another North African country, Algeria, on Tuesday night.
