Tehran Favors Peace in West Asia, Korean Peninsula

Iran's top lawmaker said the country seeks calm in West Asia and Korean Peninsula, and is opposed to "provocations" by the US aimed at disrupting peace in these regions.

Ali Larijani made the statement in a meeting with Choe Thae-bok, visiting chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly on Sunday.

"Americans are always trying to pressure independent states and do not seek calm in various regions," IRNA quoted Larijani as saying.

"In West Asia, US interferences and pressures have damaged countries such as Syria and Iraq, and led to spread of terrorism there, which is a big trouble for the region." 

Syria is the scene of a six-year-old standoff between militants struggling to bring down the government and the Syrian Army. The US has been a main supplier of arms to militants.

The self-styled Islamic State, a terrorist group mainly operating in Syria, took large swaths of Iraq in a 2014 surprise attack.

The Korean Peninsula has been locked in a cycle of military rhetoric since the 1950-53 Korean War, which led to the creation of North Korea and South Korea.

The US is a close ally of South Korea and has over 28,000 troops based there. The two countries hold joint military exercises every year.

Choe said the US, which is constantly interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, threatens North Korea with military attacks because of its anti-American stances.

"We have always sought unification of North and South Korea, but US presence in the peninsula is preventing this," he said.

Praising Iran's economic and defense improvements and its important role in the world, the North Korean lawmaker said his country is eager to have closer ties with Iran, particularly parliamentary relations.

The North Korean official is in Iran to participate in the Sixth International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada (uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation), which is to be held on February 20 and 21.