TEHRAN – Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah received on Sunday President Hassan Rouhani’s written message to Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait Mohammad Irani delivered the message.

Irani and Jarallah discussed relations, regional and international developments in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Rouhani held a phone conversation with the Kuwaiti Emir on April 21.

Rouhani said that there is no way but expanding regional cooperation and friendship to boost security and stability in the region.

The Kuwaiti Emir also said his country supports Iran’s proposed Hormuz peace initiative.

At the United Nations summit in New York in late September 2019, Iran officially unveiled the proposal for regional security.

“Based upon the historical responsibility of my country in maintaining security, peace, stability, and progress in the Persian Gulf region and Strait of Hormuz, I would like to invite all the countries directly affected by the developments in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the ‘Coalition for Hope’, meaning Hormuz Peace Endeavor,” President Hassan Rouhani told the UN delegates.

Foreign Minister Zarif has invited all regional states to join the peace plan for securing the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

In a tweet in September, Zarif said the initiative entails “dialogue, confidence-building, freedom of navigation, energy security, non-aggression, and non-intervention”.

In a post on his Twitter account on October 15, Zarif renewed Iran’s call to all countries bordering the Persian Gulf to join Tehran to “forge a blueprint for peace, security, stability, and prosperity” in the region.

In a press briefing on November 25, the Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced that three countries have accepted to join Iran’s Hormuz peace plan.

“Three countries have given written response to Iran’s invitation and other countries are studying it,” he said.

He also called on certain Persian Gulf Arab states to abandon reliance on foreign forces for their security, saying dependence on foreigners is just an “illusion” 

“We called on the countries to respond to Iran’s peace-seeking call and abandon illusions. We have stressed that the presence of foreign countries undermines security and stability. We hope this initiative of Iran would face with a positive response,” Mousavi stated.

NA/PA