TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Velayati, a top foreign policy adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said on Wednesday that chaos in West Asia affected the European countries.

Velayati made the remarks during a meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis in Tehran.

The veteran politician said Tehran is ready to share views with other countries in bringing peace and stability to hotspots in West Asia.

“We are ready to exchange views on settling regional crises peacefully based on the international regulations and move towards peace,” Velayati told Dastis.

The war in Syria is entering its eighth year. There is also no end in sight in the Saudi-led war on Yemen which started in March 2015.
 
Velayati added, “Those who understand sensitivity of the region should pay attention to this point that their inappropriate presence in the region will be more harmful to themselves.”

Iran, Turkey, and Russia have fiercely opposed the deployment of U.S. forces in Syria. Iran says the U.S. military presence in Syria is aimed to split Syria.

Velayati, who was Iran’s foreign minister from 1981 to 1997, also called on European countries, especially Spain, to adopt more “positive” approaches towards the region.

He reiterated the long-held position by Tehran that the crises in the region can be settled politically and not militarily.

The people in regional countries should determine their destiny without any foreign interference, he added.

In a joint press conference with the Spanish foreign minister, Velayati also said economic ties between Iran and Spain are “growing”.

The two countries have capacities to expand relations, he added.

Dastis called for expansion of cooperation.

NA/PA