World must actively fight terrorism: Iran VP

Iranian First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri says the fight against terrorism requires the firm determination of all countries across the world.

“It is necessary to support the legitimate governments of countries plagued with terrorism,” Jahangiri said in a meeting between high-ranking Iranian and Bulgarian delegations, co-chaired by him and visiting Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Tehran on Monday.

He called for an active campaign against terrorism and extremism, expressing hope that the international community would step in to firmly counter and uproot terrorist groups.

Jahangiri said the Middle East is politically faced with violent terrorism, adding that terrorist groups in the region are posing a danger to both countries and civilians.

“People in Iraq, Syria and Libya are struggling against this [type of] terrorism and it is necessary to support the legitimate  governments of these countries,” the Iranian veep pointed out.

He expressed regret that terrorist and extremist groups have spread Islamophobia across the world, saying that Bulgaria, as a European country with many Muslims, has managed to establish cordial relations among the followers of different divine religions.

Jahangiri further declared Iran’s firm determination to expand cooperation with Bulgaria in different sectors.

He said the current visit by the Bulgarian premier to Iran indicates the two countries’ political will to boost relations.

Borisov, for his part, said the crisis of terrorism has spread to Europe and its repercussions in the continent must be solved through wisdom.

Urging world leaders to make resolute decisions with regard to the fight against terrorism, the Bulgarian premier slammed policies which have led to violence, bloodshed and destruction of infrastructures in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, saying that sustainable peace cannot be established by the means of missiles and bombs.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Borisov arrived in the Iranian capital late on Sunday.

In a meeting between Jahangiri and Borisov on Monday, Tehran and Sofia signed three memoranda of understanding to further promote relations in various fields, including agriculture, transport and nuclear energy.

The Bulgarian prime minister’s trip comes as part of a series of visits by world leaders to Tehran after the implementation of a nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in July 2015.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia – plus Germany started to implement the JCPOA on January 16.

After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

Bulgaria can serve as a gateway for the Iranian products to European, the Commonwealth and Asian countries.