Ali-Reza Enayati, Director General of the Persian Gulf Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, told IRNA on Sunday that regional countries participating in the Baghdad Conference in Amman, Jordan, on 20 December 2022, stressed the need for guaranteeing the security of the West Asia region through partnership between regional states.
Enayati said that the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabadollahian underscored in the conference that the issue of security is an intertwined concept which needs cooperation between regional states.
Amirabadollahian underlined that Iran has always supported Iraq and promoted dialogue in the region instead of confrontation in order to help remove misunderstandings, the diplomat added.
The Iranian top diplomat held meetings with officials attending the conference in a bid to support peace, security and stability of Iraq as well as to consider a constructive role for the Arab country in regional interactions, Enayati stated, arguing that Iraq’s potentials should be utilized to contribute to the development and construction of the region.
As to Iran’s support for Iraq, he said that the Islamic Republic has supplied its neighbor on issues like energy and electricity supply.
Commenting on role of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC), the foreign ministry official noted that the council which was formed four decades ago only consists of southern littoral states of the Persian Gulf while the Baghdad Conference initiative also includes Iraq and Iran.
He said understanding, cooperation and dialogue without imposing regional divisions is a dire need of the region, adding that the security and stability of all regional states is of great importance and can be achieved via regional meetings and gatherings.
Enayati also said that FM Amirabdollahian had underlined during the Conference the Islamic Republic is ready to expand relations with neighboring countries, adding that foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran had met on the sidelines of the meeting.
He added that Iran’s FM had also raised during the conference the issue of the Palestinian cause as the top issue of the Muslim world while also discussing the importance of the International North–South Transport Corridor, a trade route which can improve economic development in the region.
According to the official, Iraq and Iran had also expressed their readiness during the meeting in Amman to discuss management of border rivers in order prevent drought.
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