Iran warns of plots to sow sectarian, religious discord in Mideast

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned against attempts to foment sectarian and religious strife in the Middle East, urging closer cooperation to thwart such plots.

“Today, hands from beyond borders intend to once again dominate the region and, to that end, seek to provoke sectarian, religious and historical divisions among regional nations, and unfortunately certain politicians play a role in the enemy’s plot,” Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci in Tehran on Wednesday.

”It is necessary to make a joint cultural effort to introduce real Islam in order to counter various enemy plots, including those aimed at driving a wedge between nations,” he added.

The Iranian president further stressed the importance of promoting Tehran-Algiers cooperation in trade and economic fields, stating that both sides enjoy good potential which can be tapped to expand bilateral relations and serve mutual interests.

The Algerian minister, who was in Tehran to attend an international conference on Syria, said Iran plays a determining role in regional equations.

Algeria considers Iran’s stance on regional issues as prudent, and believes that regional countries can help settle their problems through cooperation, Medelci added.

He noted that the settlement of the crisis in Syria can consolidate solidarity among regional nations.

The crisis in Syria erupted over two years ago and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly expressed its opposition to any foreign intervention in Syria’s internal affairs, stressing that inclusive dialog and national reconciliation as well as free elections are the key to resolving the unrest in the Arab country.

Iran hosted the International Conference on Syria under the banner of “Political Solution, Regional Stability” in Tehran on Wednesday. Participants from 40 countries discussed ways to find a political solution to the crisis in the Arab country.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with his Algerian counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said the two countries’ officials hold consultations on many regional and international issues.

He expressed regret over the killing of innocent people in Syria, adding all countries are responsible to help settle the crisis in the Arab country.