World must fight terrorism firmly, wisely: Iran official

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has criticized contradictory approaches of the US and certain countries in battling terrorism, urging a serious and real anti-terror fight.

In a meeting with Italian Deputy Minister Lapo Pistelli on Friday, the senior Iranian official warned that playing with the terrorists’ card is “a dangerous game” which would endanger regional stability and global security.

“The region is in a very sensitive situation and the ongoing developments and real fight against terrorism are decisive,” Amir-Abdollahian said.

He added that strengthening political trend in countries exposed to terrorist threats and real fight against terrorism play an important role in regional equations in the future.

“It is necessary that regional countries and the international community counter [terrorism] with seriousness, realism and wisdom,” the Iranian official pointed out.

The Italian official, for his part, expressed concern over spread of extremism and terrorism in the region and urged fighting the dangerous phenomena.

Pistelli said Iran is an influential country in the Middle East region and called for exchanging views with Tehran in the campaign against terrorism.

He expressed hope that stability and peace would be restored to the region.

The ISIL terrorists control some parts of Syria’s east and north. The ISIL also sent its Takfiri militants into Iraq in June, seizing some swathes of land straddling the border between Syria and Iraq. The extremist group has threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians during its advances in violence-torn Iraq.

Iraq has also been the scene of clashes between the army and al-Qaeda-affiliated militants over the past few years.

This comes as other regional countries, including Lebanon, have not been immune to terrorist activities by al-Qaeda-affiliated and ISIL groups either.