President Hassan Rouhani called for cooperation among six Asian states to build a more powerful region through a raft of measures he laid out at the second conference of parliament speakers of Iran, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey in Tehran on Saturday.
He pointed out in his speech that the challenges facing the region have an extra-territorial nature and require joint and coordinated approaches.
“For this reason, I declare Iran’s willingness to collaborate in building a stronger region, one that is free of outsiders’ dominance and relies on itself,” he said, the president’s news portal reported.
To achieve this goal, according to President Rouhani, all six states need to put certain policies on agenda.
“We should all try to strengthen bilateral and multilateral bonds among ourselves,” he said.
The countries also need to move toward “security networking” with their neighbors and respect each other’s national sovereignty, he added.
Pursuing multilateralism in diplomacy and trade, expanding scientific, cultural and tourism relations regardless of ethnic and religious inclinations, and supporting the exchange of goods and services among neighboring countries were among other requirements mentioned by the president.
“We need to contribute substantially to regional peace efforts and minimize militarism at the regional level while developing our defensive power comprehensively,” he said.
It is essential, according to Rouhani, that these countries create the infrastructure for the transit of energy and exchange of information with all neighbors as well as other countries willing to use the capacities.
A power balance among neighbors based on a policy of strategic self-restraint and avoidance of destructive competition is also a key goal that the countries need to achieve to make the region stronger.
“Each day, I become more certain that with the determination of China, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this mission can be accomplished,” he said.
Troublesome Actor
Such a desirable region, according to Rouhani, should not be restricted to a geographical area, but should be a prelude to a “post-American” world in which the United States is not able to dominate other countries.
Referring particularly to the US hostile policies, he stressed that the six Asian countries with a long shared history, are now under assault, which not only threatens their identity and independence, but also aims to break up their longstanding bonds.
“A country that wages a trade war with China, taunts Pakistan, humiliates Afghanistan, punishes Turkey, threatens Russia and sanctions Iran is the prime culprit for shattering bonds [among nations],” he said.
However, Rouhani maintained that the countries will stand up to the US by improving collaborations and strengthening economic, social, cultural and security connections.
“If the US thinks it can divide us, it is absolutely wrong.”
The president also urged regional states to resist foreign political and military interventions, as it would not allow the nations to naturally develop and find their indigenous methods of dealing with challenges.
“Our region is in a sensitive historical period in which global terrorists seek to create a whirlpool of violence, poverty, sanctions, crisis, terror and coup d'état … We will join forces to defeat this enemy,” he said.
