Iranian President Praises Kyrgyzstan for Closing US Base

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani lauded Kyrgyzstan for closing Pentagon’s controversial Manas Transit Center.

“Given the new Kyrgyz government’s tendency towards independence, closing Base Manas in opposition to the Americans’ desire was an admirable job,” Rouhani said in a press conference with his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev in Tehran on Saturday.

Last year the US had to shut its military base in Kyrgyzstan which raised much controversy during its existence since 2001. The Transit Center at Manas was as US military installation at Manas International Airport near the capital of Kyrgyzstan serving the primary air supply hub for the ISAF’s contingent during the Afghan military campaign. The staff of the hub had full diplomatic immunity at the time, and all cargo delivered to the airport was exempt from border and customs inspection.

Elsewhere, President Rouhani referred to his meeting with Atambayev earlier today, and said Iran and Kyrgyzstan share identical views on the necessity for closer cooperation in campaign against extremism, violence and terrorism.

“Also, officials of both countries underlined that we should have closer intelligence, political and security cooperation in our fight against the terrorist grouplets in the region, including the al-Qaeda and the ISIL, the groups that we witness their crimes and recruitment of forces in the Central Asia, because this will lead to a more successful performance in campaign against the terrorist and violent groups,” he added.

In relevant remarks in August, President Rouhani asked the world states to join efforts to fight and uproot terrorism.

“Terrorism and insecurity is an epidemic disease which doesn’t belong to a special region, and efforts should be made to encounter extremism and violence to prevent its spread and we shouldn’t allow any innocent person, regardless of his/her nationality and religion, to become a victim of the terrorist groups,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni in Tehran.

Stressing that after striking a nuclear agreement with the world powers, Iran now feels the heavy responsibility of establishment of peace and stability in the region, he said, “To achieve this important goal, it is necessary to uproot terrorism through collective cooperation.”

“The countries’ political and economic interests and creation of mental tranquility both depend on this universal determination,” Rouhani added.