TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has underlined the priorities of the Iranian foreign policy, saying that the Raisi administration has prioritized pursuing a balanced foreign policy and shoring up economic diplomacy.

In an interview with khamenei.ir, Amir Abdollahian stressed the need to develop relations with the world. “When we say interaction, we mean interaction with all parts of the world in a balanced foreign policy, giving priority to neighbors and looking at Asia, taking into account active economic diplomacy and paying special attention to Iranians abroad,” he said. 

He added, “This is a case that the Supreme Leader pointed out well; of course, the government has paid attention and emphasized the development of cooperation with its neighbors in its foreign policy. We have started a lot of work in this sector from the past and we will strengthen this approach more than in the past in the context of the reiteration of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.”

Amir Abdollahian pointed out that expanding relations with Islamic countries and other countries of the same direction has been on the agenda of foreign policy. 

“Due to the special emphasis of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution on development of relations with Islamic countries, the directors of the diplomatic apparatus and our ambassadors in these countries will seriously follow up all these guidelines and lines drawn and communicated,” he said. 

The foreign minister continued, “We believe that in parallel with working with all parts of the world, we should have a priority view with Islamic countries and have the same direction.”

He noted, “The government's policy, which prioritized the development of relations with neighboring countries, continues with a greater extent. For this reason, in the foreign field, we will focus and plan more precisely to work with Islamic countries in the same direction, along with working with neighbors.”

Earlier this week, Amir Abdollahian and a number of Iranian diplomats met with Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. 
The profundity of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s strategic perspective on the changing world order and his emphasis on effective foreign policy will serve as the ministry’s guiding principles, Amir Abdollahian said. 

Amir Abdollahian made the remarks on Saturday, hours after Foreign Ministry officials and Tehran’s diplomats to foreign countries met with Ayatollah Khamenei.

“Today, at the start of a meeting of ambassadors and heads of political, international and consular representative offices, we visited Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and received his deep views on foreign policy and international relations,” Amir Abdollahian wrote on his Twitter page.

He added that the Foreign Ministry will continue to adhere to Ayatollah Khamenei’s “strategic views on changes in the world order and his emphasis on an effective foreign policy.”

Addressing a group of Foreign Ministry officials and ambassadors to other countries on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei delineated the meanings of the three keywords “honor, wisdom, and expediency” in the Iranian foreign policy.

The Leader described lack of reliance on principles in foreign policy as a violation of honor and the cause of hesitancy.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the meaning of “wisdom” as speech and behavior that is “wise, well thought-out and prudent.”