Iran pursues non-interference policy

Iranian caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Tehran’s policy is to avoid interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, including its neighbors.

“One of the basic principles of our foreign policy is non-interference in the [internal] affairs of other countries,” Salehi said at a joint press conference with Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Wednesday.

“We don’t and will not definitely interfere in the affairs of any country,” he went on to say, reiterating that Iran’s record of interaction with other countries, in particular its neighbors, over the past 30 years is proof of the fact.

Salehi’s comments came in response to a question that certain Iraqi political parties speak of Iran’s interference in the country’s domestic affairs.

“Iran wants nothing but well-being of the Iraqi nation,” he further explained.

The Iranian official said that logic dictates that Tehran supports Baghdad’s security since instability in Iraq could spread to Iran as well.

Salehi described the future of ties between the two countries as “very bright”, and said Tehran and Baghdad would keep cooperating to resolve any possible misunderstandings.

He said that there existed no hurdle in further expansion of ties between the two countries.

Salehi is on a one-day official visit to Iraq. He met with Zebari before attending the press conference and is scheduled to talk with other Iraqi high-ranking officials.