Iran: relations with neighbours a ‘top priority’

Dubai: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that it is time for Iran and its neighbours “to begin to address the causes of tension” in the Gulf region.

“The establishment of a collective forum for dialogue in the Gulf region, to facilitate engagement, is long overdue,” Zarif declared in an oped in the New York Times where he said that his countries relations with its neighbours were a “top priority”.

“Security cannot be pursued at the expense of the insecurity of others,” he added. “We need a sober assessment of the complex and intertwined realities [in the Gulf]”.

“The regional dialogue should be based on generally recognised principles and shared objectives, notably respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all states; inviolability of international boundaries; noninterference in internal affairs; peaceful settlement of disputes; impermissibility of threat or use of force; and promotion of peace, stability, progress and prosperity in the region.”

According to Zarif, “a regional dialogue could help promote understanding and interaction at the levels of government, the private sector and civil society, and lead to agreement on a broad spectrum of issues, including confidence- and security-building measures; combating terrorism, extremism and sectarianism; ensuring freedom of navigation and the free flow of oil and other resources; and protection of the environment. A regional dialogue could eventually include more formal nonaggression and security cooperation arrangements.”

Existing institutional frameworks for dialogue, and especially the United Nations, must be utilised, he said.

“A regional role for the United Nations, already envisaged in the Security Council resolution that helped end the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, would help alleviate concerns and anxieties, particularly of smaller countries; provide the international community with assurances and mechanisms for safeguarding its legitimate interests; and link any regional dialogue with issues that inherently go beyond the boundaries of the region,” he said.

However, Zarif’s call to hold a dialogue on issues in the region is likely not to be heeded in the Arab world where Iran has strong influence on forces that are in command of three Arab capitals – Baghdad, Beirut and Damascus.

A coalition of Gulf and Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, last month launched military operations in Yemen to restore the legitimate presidency and government.