Iran intends to submit an action plan for the implementation of the World Against Violence and Extremism resolution, proposed by President Hassan Rouhani two years ago, to the United Nations General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the announcement on the sidelines of a meeting with the president of the UNGA, Mogens Lykketoft, in New York on Wednesday, Fars News Agency reported.
In December 2013, the UNGA overwhelmingly voted to approve Rouhani’s WAVE initiative, which called on all nations across the globe to denounce violence and extremism. The president had made the proposal in his address to the UN Disarmament Conference in New York on September 25, 2013.
In the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the ways to accomplish the objectives of the international community, with a special focus on the United Nations’ role, and emphasized the need for a political approach to defuse regional conflicts.
Referring to the Sept. 25-27 Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Zarif noted, “Fighting extremism is high on our list of priorities; moreover, Iran endorses the UN’s proposals aimed at implementing sustainable development plans by 2030 in various areas, including environment, economy and climate change.”
On Middle East conflicts, the top diplomat said, “Iran believes diplomacy is the only way to put an end to atrocities in the region, based on which an initiative has been proposed [by Iran] whose success depends on [the approach adopted] by the key players in the region.”
Inclusive Solution
According to Zarif, Iran’s initiative takes all warring parties into account as it believes that the peace process cannot advance unless all opposing groups are involved in the negotiations in any crisis-hit country.
Syria has been grappling with a foreign-backed militancy since 2011. Islamic State militants, who currently control areas across Syria as well as northern and western Iraq, have been carrying out horrific acts of violence, including public decapitations, against Iraqi and Syrian communities.
In a separate meeting with Zarif, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations Jan Eliasson congratulated Iran on its recent nuclear agreement with major powers, calling for Tehran’s active involvement in settling regional disputes.
The foreign minister also held meetings with his counterparts on the margins of the ongoing UN General Assembly, including Romania’s Bogdan Lucian Aurescu, New Zealand’s Murray McCully, Egypt’s Sameh Shoukry, Australia’s Julie Bishop and Indonesia’s Retno Marsudi.
Zarif left Tehran for New York last Tuesday to follow up the implementation of the July 14 nuclear deal with major powers officially titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Furthermore, he is to hold talks with European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to pave the way for the planned top-level Iran-EU dialogue.
