The parliament speaker said the western countries that claim to be advocates of democracy try to disrupt democratic movements in the Middle East.
Speaking at a gathering in Mazandaran Province on late Thursday, Ali Larijani referred to the Yemeni people's struggle for a democratic government and said, "Today, Middle Eastern nations' efforts to establish democracy are hindered by the states that claim to be the standard-bearer of democracy (in the world)," IRNA reported.
He said the fresh round of plots against the Yemenis is meant to curb "Islamic slogans," adding, "Countries like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen are still entangled with terrorist groups' acts of adventurism."
He called on regional states to exercise more vigilance and not repeat the mistake of providing financial backing to terrorist groups.
He reiterated, "The US should also show more wisdom, since rather than battling against terrorism, they seem to be playing with it, a game for which they will pay a high price."
Pointing to the negotiations between Iran and the six major powers on Tehran's nuclear program, the senior lawmaker said, "The US and other negotiating parties to Iran's nuclear talks are content with the negotiations, since they have no other alternative."
They already know and acknowledge during the negotiations that they need to cooperate with Iran as a regional power, he noted.
Elsewhere, Larijani called for greater national cohesion to help put an end to conflicts, adding that democracy and the diversity of opinions should not result in clashes among internal forces.
He continued, "An atmosphere of empathy and engagement is required to address the country's challenges."
The speaker stressed the need to address economic challenges facing the nation, saying the people should pursue their economic demands and stand by officials to help solve problems.
