A lawmaker says efforts to counter the threat posed by terrorists to the Middle East have taken on a new dimension, thanks to the strong consensus forged among the countries which "really" want to fight terror.
Member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Hossein Naqavi Hosseini made the remark in an interview with ICANA on Saturday.
He said terrorism is a global threat, not just a regional challenge, so a strong will by the international community is needed to check the menace.
Unfortunately, western countries, especially the United States, have only sought their interests in dealing with terrorism, using it as a tool to promote their objectives, Naqavi Hosseini said.
"Where it is in line with their interests, they don't hesitate to help terrorists by providing financial and military assistance," he noted. "But when terrorists act against their interests, they do all they can to stop them."
Having lost hope in efforts by the US-led coalition to defeat militants in Iraq and Syria, some countries have decided to unite and fight terrorists more seriously, the lawmaker said.
Syria, Iraq, Iran and Russia have established the Baghdad Information Center in the Iraqi capital for coordinating intelligence and security cooperation against Islamic State militants, while Russia launched a bombing campaign against insurgents operating in Syria on Sept. 30 in support of the government forces. Tehran has also increased its military advisers in the war-ravaged Arab country.
Pointing to the 12th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi (October 19-22), attended by Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, he hoped for such meetings to result in effective measures against terrorism.
"Fighting terror is not a tactical aim, so coming up with a detailed plan to tackle the scourge should be on top of the agenda," Naqavi Hosseini said.
Pointing to Iran's "undeniable" record in combating violence, he said Iran can play an influential role in efforts to curb terrorism.
