TEHRAN- Tehran’s plan to drive the U.S. out of the region is underscored by the deputy foreign minister of Iran, who said that greater links and coordinated actions among the neighbors are vital.

De-escalating tensions among neighboring and regional governments is Iran’s primary foreign policy priority, according to Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Baqeri Kani, who made this statement on Sunday in an interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).  

“By strengthening quite strategic and deep-rooted bonds with the neighbors, we are definitely resolved to create a stable region with concerted cooperation and collective security,” he continued. 

Baqeri went on to add that the removal of U.S. military from the region was a “strategic decision” made by the Iranian establishment and that brotherly and cordial relations with the surrounding nations are necessary for this to happen.

He stated that Iran will not permit foreigners to create a rift between it and some of its neighbors.

Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, warned against the hostile policy of deception, distortion, and humiliation as well as making the nations doubt their own skills, while pointing out the failure of the enemy’s military strategy in the region in statements made in April 2023.

Given having connections with neighboring countries, the deputy of foreign ministry described the interaction between Tehran and its neighboring countries as “strategic.”

“We have good relations with all neighboring countries except one. Whether it’s Azerbaijan in the north, or Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait in the south, or Turkey and Iraq in the west, or Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east, we have good relations,” Kani noted. 

He continued by saying that “one of the countries we have good relations with and should have is Azerbaijan. This country has unbreakable historical, cultural, religious, and spiritual ties with us. Therefore, in this field, we have very forward-looking relations and the government’s approach indicates a serious will for enhancing interaction with regional countries.”

Baqeri also averred that Tehran’s viewpoint towards certain countries are based on threat-oriented approach but instead it prioritizes de-escalating stance when it comes to regional and neighboring countries.

“Certainly, we will not allow outsiders to take advantage of potential gaps between us and some neighbors. With strengthening very strategic and rooted connections with neighboring countries, we certainly have a serious will to create a stable region through collective cooperation and collective security,” Baqeri Kani stressed. 

He also emphasized that the prerequisite for the U.S. exit from the region is to have a brotherly and friendly bond with neighboring countries, calling the move as the strategic decision of the Iranian government.

Regarding the role of people in elections, Baqeri mentioned that “elections in Iran, especially parliamentary elections, are based on the views of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei that people must play a fundamental role.”

He then added that “even if political currents and parties also play a role, they should act as a tool for more concrete and effective people’s role-playing. The role of people is fundamental and strategic, not decorative.”

Last year in an interview, Baqeri Kani issued a dire warning saying that the Israel regime will be completely destroyed if its continuing assault against the Palestinian resistance in the beleaguered Gaza Strip continues to grow.

The operation of the Palestinian resistance against Israel was characterized by Baqeri Kani as “an irreparable earthquake in the Zionist regime’s military and security system.”

“If the war expands any further, we cannot say that Israel would lose because nothing will remain of Israel to be described as a loser or winner,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister stressed. 

In addition, the senior Iranian diplomat stated that the al-Aqsa Storm Operation generated “an earthquake in the intellectual and strategic system of the U.S.-led Western world, as well as in U.S. unilateralism.”

“The Americans are now plagued by a strategic confusion and cannot guess the resistance’s next move to make a decision accordingly,” he noted.

The deputy foreign minister also addressed the signals that American officials have been delivering to Iran, noting these are intended to avoid further escalation of the situation.

“However, Americans themselves are the main party responsible for the continuation and expansion of the conflict through their unbridled support for the Zionists,” he asserted. 

Baqeri Kani went on to highlight, “Therefore, the main party responsible for the Zionists’ crimes, after Zionists themselves, are Americans. They have said time and again that they stand by Israel without any limitations.”