Senior parliamentarians from Russia, China, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan expressed their interest in working more closely with Iran on bilateral and regional issues during separate meetings with Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran.
The officials had traveled to the Iranian capital to attend the Second Speakers' Conference on Challenges of Terrorism and Inter-Regional Connectivity, which began on Friday and come to a close on Saturday.
In a meeting with Larijani late on Friday, Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Asad Qaiser described terrorism as the biggest hurdle in the path of economic development in the region, ICANA reported.
A collective effort by regional nations is needed to address this evil phenomenon and boost peace and security in this part of the world, he added.
Qaiser said Islamabad takes pride in its close relations with Tehran and called for accelerated efforts to increase bilateral cooperation in all areas, particularly trade and tourism.
Larijani expressed hope that the two countries’ parliaments will work harder to help tackle common challenges and achieve common goals.
Drugs and Terrorism
On the same day, Afghan Parliament Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi exchanged views with his Iranian counterpart on a host of issues, including the fight against terrorism and drugs.
“Terrorism has affected the economic, political and social sectors of world countries so it is necessary that we strengthen our political and security cooperation to help resolve this crisis,” the senior Afghan lawmaker said.
Ibrahimi added that Kabul always welcomes positive initiatives aimed at establishing long-lasting peace in Afghanistan, saying that stability in the landlocked state would make the entire region a safer place.
He also hailed Iran’s support for Afghanistan at difficult times and vowed to continue supporting its neighboring country.
Larijani noted that there is no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan, adding that the scourge of drugs and terrorism, which are two sides of the same coin, can only be eradicated through political means.
The top Turkish and Iranian lawmakers also held talks on a range of issues on Friday, including US unilateralism, according to Al-Alam News Network.
Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Binali Yildirim criticized Washington’s withdrawal from a number of international agreements, saying that it would negatively impact global peace.
He described the dominance of US dollar in international trade as a “threat” against countries and said its role can be reduced if governments decide to conduct bilateral trade in their national currencies.
Larijani said America’s policies have brought regional countries closer, which can be regarded as a positive development.
Strategic Partnership
Russia’s State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said in his meeting with the Iranian Majlis speaker on Friday that the “strategic partnership” between the two nations should continue as it will serve their common interests, a stance reiterated by Larijani.
On Thursday, ISNA quoted Chen Zu, the vice chairman of Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, as telling Larijani that Beijing is keen to further cooperate with Iran in the regional and international arenas.
“China has made efforts to salvage the JCPOA because Iran has been China’s trading partner for years,” the Chinese official said in reference to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in May.
The remaining signatories—Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain—are making efforts to salvage the accord.
Larijani said China has a “crucial” role in keeping the landmark agreement alive.
