President Hassan Rouhani has expressed hope that the West will be serious in the battle against terrorism.
Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard in Mashhad on Sunday.
Iran is pleased that the West has recognized the threat of terrorism in the region and said, “We are hopeful that they will be serious in this regard.”
He also said Tehran is seriously engaged in the campaign against terrorism and is making efforts to deal with the issue.
If terrorist activities continue in the region, violence will spread to other areas and it will cause instability in the world, he said.
He said some countries are still supporting terrorists, adding measures should be taken to end support for terrorists.
If influential countries in the region take a serious decision to deal with terrorists, they will undoubtedly be able to resolve the issue in a short time, he added.
On the relationship between Tehran and Copenhagen, the president said the two countries have had long-standing friendly relations, expressing hope that the Danish foreign minister’s visit to Iran would help boost bilateral ties.
On the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany), Rouhani said if the major powers be seriously engaged in the talks it will be possible to reach a final deal to resolve the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program by the November 24 deadline.
In addition, he said the West’s sanctions against Iran are in contravention of international regulations and have not been to the benefit of the two sides.
The Danish foreign minister, for his part, called for expansion of political and economic relations with Tehran and said the European country’s private sector is keen to have cooperation with Iran in the areas of oil, gas, renewable energy, and water.
Lidegaard also said the West is now determined to combat terrorism and encourage the countries that sponsor terrorists to cut their support.
Tehran- Copenhagen Ties
In a separate meeting with the Danish official on Sunday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran and Denmark enjoy great potential to increase bilateral cooperation in various areas.
He also said Iran and Europe can hold talks on the issue of human rights although the two sides have differing views in this regard.
Elsewhere, Zarif said the issues of extremism and terrorism in the Middle East, especially in Iraq and Syria, have posed a serious threat to the region and world.
Lidegaard said Denmark is concerned over the spread of extremism and terrorism in the Middle East region and underlined the need for bilateral consultations in this regard.
Iran's Strategic Importance Highlighted
In a meeting with Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Monday in Tehran, the Danish foreign minister highlighted the strategic importance of Iran in the region and said the West is aware of the fact that no plan to counter terrorism can be worked out without Iran's involvement.
The chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council, for his part, said Iran welcomes every effort meant to combat terrorists.
