TEHRAN – Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Maciej Lang visited Tehran on Monday for talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi as Iran has strongly protested Poland for agreeing to host a U.S.-proposed conference on the Middle East with a focus on Iran.

The conference is set to be held on Feb. 13-14.

During the Monday talks in Tehran, Araqchi told Lang and his accompanying team that Iran will not allow a coalition to form against its interests by any country in or outside the region.

Araqchi said the crisis in the Middle East lies in the occupation of lands by Israel.

 “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought establsihemtn of pace and security in the region and has proven this in campaing against terrorist groups such as Daesh (ISIS), but it will not allow coalition building against its interests by any country in the region and outside.”“The most important problem of the region is the Zionist regime of Israel and its occupation and suppressive policies, and as long as the people of Palestine cannot gain their legitimate rights the region will not see peace.”

Araqchi said Israel, as the root cause of the problems, not being on the agenda in the conference shows that the conference is “one-sided”. It is clear that the U.S. seeking other goals, he added.

“Another problem in the region is America’s adventurous policies. While America is after a complete demolition of the JCPOA, the sole fruit of diplomacy and dialogue in this region, how could it claim to be trying to solve the region’s problems?” Araqchi further noted.

He rejected the Polish government’s justification for playing along with the U.S. in holding the conference, saying, “The Polish government should realize the true intentions of the American government by this conference and be careful about its consequences.”

The Polish deputy foreign minister said that his country backs the JCPOA and claimed that the Warsaw conference “is not against any country including the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Lang added that Poland considers Iran as an important player in the Middle East and that the aim of the conference is to help resolve problems in the region and “Poland as the friend of Iran will not allow any move against Iran.”

On January 13, Iran summoned Polish charge d’affaires Wojciech Unolt in Tehran and called off a Polish film festival.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has described the move as “shameful” in light of the fact that Iran saved Poles during World War II.

“Polish Govt can’t wash the shame: while Iran saved Poles in WWII, it now hosts desperate anti-Iran circus,” Zarif tweeted.

Iran has threatened if the summit goes ahead, the country will resort to unspecified "counter-action" towards Poland.

Tehran and Warsaw have had good relations. According to the Independent, the balance of trade between the two nations was $230 million in 2017, up from $80 million in 2015 when Iran and world powers agreed to a landmark nuclear deal.

SP/PA