Iran Launches Hectic Diplomacy to Build Regional Coalition against ISIL

“In light of effects of the Vienna (nuclear) agreement, we visited the friendly regional states, including Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq and presented logical solutions to regional talks to obviate the existing concerns in the region that have resulted from ISIL’s increased growth and the danger posed by such groups,” Zarif said during the meeting in Beirut on Wednesday.

He said that the friendly regional states have underlined their agreement with these positive proposals.

Late in July, the Iranian top diplomat took a three-leg tour of Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq. He is again on a four-leg tour of Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan and India. He was also due to visit Turkey on Tuesday, but the preplanned trips was called off due to unknown reasons.

Zarif underscored the necessity for the establishment of peace and stability in the region, and said that the regional nations are ready to partner in campaign against the ISIL and Iran will also make its utmost effort to find a way to settle the regional problems.

During the meeting, both officials emphasized finding new solutions to the regional crises through partnership of all sides.

Berri, for his part, hailed the nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers, and expressed the hope that a proper solution would be found to hold internal talks about election of Lebanon’s president.

He also underlined Iran’s important role in maintaining the resistance front’s unity in the region and resistance against the enemies, and said, “Supporting the resistance front is the strategy of all of us.”

Berri said all the regional nations hope that the nuclear agreement will be a prelude to openings in the region through new methods and approaches to end the old hostilities.

In relevant remarks today, Zarif in a meeting with Lebanese Defense Minister Samir Moqbel underlined that the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers has led to a political opening for the region.

“We believe that removing the nuclear obstacle from the world’s agenda has led to an opening in the region,” Zarif said during the meeting in Beirut on Wednesday morning.

He also elaborated on Iran’s policies in the region, and said the Lebanese groups and people should decide their own fate through dialogue and talks and no one should be allowed to push back their decision. “We believe that no one can veto the Lebanese will to settle the problems in the country, and we encourage national consensus among the Lebanese to elect a president based on constructive talks and with the help of all countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Moqbel, for his part, underscored Zarif’s influential role in the attainment of the recent nuclear agreement, and said, “We are aware of Mr. Zarif’s extensive and hard efforts in the achievement of this big agreement with the world powers; we are pleased with the agreement and hope to witness the effects of these talks and diplomacy on the settlement of problems in Lebanon and the region.”

Iran and the world powers reached a final agreement in Vienna on July 14 to end a 13-year-old nuclear standoff.

A week later, the UNSC unanimously endorsed a draft resolution turning into international law the JCPOA reached between Iran and the 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) group of countries over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Now the US Congress and the Iranian parliament have less than 60 days to review the deal to approve or reject its practice.