In a world typified by elimination, Iran urges dialog

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has proposed a transition away from a “paradigm of elimination” in international relations to a “paradigm of dialog.”

In a keynote speech to the 1st Conference of Asian Cultural Dialogue in Tehran on Saturday, Zarif criticized US President Donald Trump’s recent racist slur against countries, saying that such an approach hindered inclusive dialog among nations.

“Today, we unfortunately see an individual having assumed power in the United States who lacks so much understanding that he describes entire nations with obscene and unacceptable and even unbelievable words,” Zarif said, referring to but not naming Trump, who on Thursday described El Salvador, Haiti, and certain African nations as “shithole” countries.