TEHRAN – Iran on Monday hosted the second version of the Tehran security conference on “Regional Security in West Asia: Emerging Challenges and Trends”.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, addressing the international event, said the U.S. policies and interferences are the “most fundamental challenges” to the West Asia region.

“The U.S. ignores realities in the region and insists on adopting destructive policies by continuing to have illegitimate military presence in Syria,” Zarif told the security conference.

He noted that efforts by certain countries in the region to remove the rivals in order to gain benefits are unacceptable and “impossible” in principle. 

“Hegemonic” efforts at the regional or international level are “dangerous” and “fruitless”, the chief diplomat remarked.

Jack Straw: Trump most insane leader since WWII

Former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also told the conference that Trump is the most insane leader since WWII, adding nobody, maybe even Trump himself, does not know what he is doing.

Zarif also said that no country can boost its security at the cost of undermining security in neighboring countries.

“The region is facing problems such as terrorism, extremism, environmental crises, immigration and the governments’ failure in meeting the people’s demands and arms race and tension among the neighbors mean inflicting more cost on the regional people,” the foreign minister cautioned.

Elsewhere, he attached great importance to countering the residue of the Daesh ideology in Iraq and Syria. 

He said the terrorist Daesh group is still active. 

It should be a priority to prevent spread of extremism to new regions and also to cut financial and ideological sources of extremism, Zarif insisted.

Kamal Kharrazi Iran ready for dialogue to reduce regional tension 

Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, also told the participants that Iran is ready to hold talks with regional countries to reduce tension and establish security.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy is preventing disintegration of the countries in the region and we are ready to hold dialogue with the regional countries to reduce tension and establish stability and security,” stated Kharrazi, who was Iran’s foreign minister from 1997 to 2005 during the Khatami presidency.

‘Iran can play important role in regional security’ 

Straw also said that given its “diplomatic capability”, Iran can play an important role in establishing security in the region.

Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi also said during his speech at the conference that new generation of rulers in the region take moves that undermine security.

Massimo D’Alema, the former Italian prime minister, also said the new rulers in Saudi Arabia as well as intensification of extremism in Israel are problems in the region.

D’Alema also said the countries should attempt to focus on eradicating Daesh terrorists forever.

NA/PA