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News ID: 89193
Publish Date : 14 April 2021 - 22:26
President Rouhani Tells Iraqi Counterpart:

U.S. Troops Play a Destructive Role in Region


TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday censured U.S. military presence in the region, saying American forces have not contributed to security but rather played a "destructive” role in regional affairs.
Rouhani told his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih over phone that U.S. activities on the Iraqi-Syrian border are "ambiguous”.
"The Americans have always played a destructive role in the region, and the presence of American troops in the region has not helped establish peace and stability,” he said.  
He described Iraq as a good friend and neighbor of Iran and rejected any foreign interference in the Arab country’s affairs.
"We regard the security of Iraq as ours. We oppose any foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and consider it to the detriment of the country and the entire region,” Rouhani said.
"We believe that the security of the region should be maintained by the countries of the region themselves.”
Rouhani voiced Iran’s support for Iraq’s stability, security, independence and territorial integrity, saying strengthening the dignity, authority and independence of Iraq and promoting the country’s regional and international standing are of special importance to Iran.
Rouhani further underlined the need for further promotion of relations between the two countries in all fields, especially economic and trade cooperation. He said by developing their bilateral and regional cooperation, Tehran and Baghdad can play an important role in regional developments and be influential.
Rouhani also stressed the need to speed up the implementation and operation of previous agreements, including the Shalamcheh-Basra railway project and the connection of the two countries’ railways.
He said said given their economic potential as two complementary economies, Iran and Iraq can develop cooperation and increase the volume of trade relations and exchanges through boosting transit as well as goods transportation.
For his part, the Iraqi president hailed relations with Iran as "strategic and growing” and called for strengthening and consolidating relations in all fields, especially economic and trade relations in the light of the long-standing cultural and historical commonalities between the two countries.
"The Iraqi government is determined to seriously pursue and implement all agreements in various fields between the two countries, which will be to the benefit of both countries and the region,” Salih said.
He also stressed the importance of establishing peace and stability in the region and cooperation of all neighboring countries to that end.
On Tuesday, Rouhani also held a phone conversation with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in which he warned of the
 dangerous presence of the Zionist regime in the region.
"We regard that the only successful way to ensure security, peace and stability in the region is the settlement of issues peacefully and responsibly and taking collective interests into account. We believe that militarism cannot resolve regional problems,” he said.
The Iranian president also stressed the importance of utilizing Tehran-Doha capacities to further improve ties in all fields, particularly in the trade and economic sectors.
The Qatari emir, for his part, highlighted the significance of deepening relations between the two countries, especially cooperation in the field of transportation, and said Tehran and Doha should use their utmost potential to develop ties.
He also invited Rouhani to visit Qatar to exchange views about regional developments and issues of common interest