TEHRAN — Iran’s new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian who participated in the Baghdad summit on Saturday blamed the U.S. for security problems in West Asia.

It was the first diplomatic tour by Amir Abdollahian in the post of foreign minister. He was confirmed as foreign minister after gaining the parliament's vote of confidence on Wednesday.

Amir Abdollahian told the participants to the conference, attended by the Saudi foreign minister, king of Jordan, Emir of Qatar, the French president, and other key players in the region, that “the Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized the achievement of peace through dialogue and negotiation within the region.”
 
The following is the full text of his speech:

“In the name of God

I am very pleased to be present today at the conference in support of Iraq in Baghdad on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Raisi. 

“What we need more than ever today is sustainable regional security”

This meeting, with the presence of the countries of the region, confirms the efforts of the Republic of Iraq in creating areas for cooperation and interaction between the countries of the region, and I hope that through these meetings we can reach a prosperous, developed and free region.

Distinguished guests,

Today, Iraq is playing an important role in the region because of its constructive efforts and vision. The Islamic Republic of Iran was one of the first countries in the region to recognize the new Iraq and to develop its political, economic and trade exchanges by supporting the political processes in this country.

The new Iraq, liberated from terrorism, today needs internal reconstruction and strengthening, and the expansion of cooperation in the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while supporting the stability, security, independence, territorial integrity, dignity, authority and promotion of Iraq's regional and international status, declares its readiness to develop bilateral and regional cooperation.

In recent years, trade between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq has reached more than $12 billion. The existence of 8 official active crossings between the two countries and the continuation of trade exchanges in these crossings, even despite the breakout of the coronavirus, indicate the economic entanglement of the two countries. In recent years, Iran has made a significant contribution to the development of Iraq's economic and trade relations by exporting technical and engineering services, gas and electricity.

Distinguished guests,

The rise of ISIS was one of the most important dangers faced by the region and left irreparable damage. Unfortunately, Iraq has suffered a lot from the emergence of terrorist groups. Were it not for the will of the Iraqi people, the support of the religious authority and the convergence of the Iraqi people, it would not have been clear what would happen to Iraq and the countries of the region and how deeply the region and the world would be endangered by terrorist threats. The Islamic Republic of Iran rushed to the aid of the friendly and brotherly country of Iraq in the fight against terrorism and did not withhold any assistance in this direction. The Iraqi people, parties, various groups and the Iraqi government have sacrificed thousands of lives for independence and the fight against terrorism; however, the U.S. government committed a great crime and martyred two fighters of the Takfiri counter-terrorism front: Martyr Gen. Soleimani and Martyr Abu Mohandi Al-Mohandes. Not only did they not bring peace and security to the people of this region, but they are the main cause of insecurity, and this is clearly visible in many countries in the region.

“The destiny of the government and the nations of this region are intertwined”

Here, I would like to emphasize the role and support of the countries in the region for the stability and security of Iraq, and mention the realization of security with the participation of all Iraq's neighbors, including the friendly and brotherly country of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Distinguished guests,

The destiny of the government and the nations of this region are intertwined according to common religious, cultural, traditional, historical and geographical interests. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized the achievement of peace through dialogue and negotiation within the region and hopes that the countries of the region will reach a common belief that security will be achieved through mutual trust, reliance on national capabilities, strengthening relations and good neighborliness. This common belief can pave the way for many political, economic and cultural cooperation in the region and guarantee the grounds for all-round growth and development of the countries of the region in the shadow of common and lasting security and by utilizing God-given wealth.

Our region has all the religious, cultural, civilizational characteristics and material and spiritual capacities for regional cooperation and convergence, but unfortunately, due to foreign interventions and the dominance of security-oriented ideas, it has many problems, including war, instability and insecurity.

What we need more than ever today is ‘sustainable regional security’ with the participation of the countries of the region, the realization of which depends on the use of economic resources to achieve the coalition for peace and development.

The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its support for the Iraqi government and people and its decisions in the field of internal affairs, including the withdrawal of foreign troops and the holding of early elections, and reiterates its constructive role in promoting a culture of dialogue and regional cooperation, and considers cooperation within the region as the basis for achieving stability and peace in this way. The Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing the important role of the countries in the region, declares its readiness to advance these goals.

Thanks again to the Iraqi government for hosting this summit, and I wish success and pride to the Iraqi people and government.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings be upon you.”

SA/PA