Larijani urges Mideast alliance

Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani has stressed the significance of promoting a Middle East alliance, saying that it will serve the interests of regional nations.

“Enhancing a regional alliance will benefit all countries [involved] and the Islamic Republic of Iran and Oman can play a leading role in this regard,” ISNA quoted Larijani as saying in a meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday.

“Iran has always called for the establishment of regional stability and tranquility and hopes people in the strategic Middle East region, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, will live in comfort and peace with an end to adventurisms of big powers,” he added.

The Iranian Majlis speaker pointed to growing relations between Iran and Oman and called for further expansion of ties between the two neighboring countries based on mutual interests.

“Iran’s principled policy is grounded on bolstering amicable ties and cooperation with all neighbors based on mutual respect. Oman also enjoys and appropriate position in this regard,” he said.

The Omani minister, for his part, said Iran is an important country in the region and added that Tehran and Muscat have always enjoyed relations based on goodwill and friendship.

Alawi pointed out that Oman is determined to use its political, economic and trade potentials to enhance strategic relations with the Islamic Republic.

He called on the Iranian Parliament to help Oman achieve such an important objective.

The Omani foreign minister is in Tehran to take part in the 9th ministerial meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) that kicked off on Monday.

The ACD is a continent-wide forum established in 2002 which aims to promote cooperation among Asian countries and to help integrate other regional cooperation organizations.