ISLAMABAD – Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini onThursday reminded that tensions in the Middle East continue unabated andcalled for renewal of peace efforts.
Delivering a lecture at Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI), a local thinktank, on ‘Pak-Iran Peace and Security Cooperation’, Hosseini said thatPakistan had a vital role for maintenance of regional peace and stability.He welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts for de-escalation oftensions in the region.
“There are clear signs of the fact that the regional circumstances are notimproving”, the ambassador said.
He contended that the tense situation was a result of external interferencein the region, misperceptions, and miscalculations.
“This cognitive impairment and miscalculations resulted in current crisisin the region,” he asserted.
The situation, he said, had been exacerbated by lack of dialogue andabsence of a structured engagement in the region.
“What the region needs more than ever, is an across the board andcomprehensive dialogue,” Ambassador Hosseini said.
He recalled that Iran’s President, Hasan Rouhani had last year proposed aregional cooperation mechanism called Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) fordurable peace throughout the region.
The plan, he said, envisaged countering sectarian strife and tacklingcurrent conflicts in peaceful manner through dialogue and cooperation.
He said ‘HOPE’ could help eliminate terrorism and extremism; realize visionof security for all; ensure respect for sovereignty of the countries andtheir integrity; contain threats and violence; and end external inferencesin internal affairs of the countries in the region.
“Iran wants solutions and all the regional countries should be the axis ofpeaceful and diplomatic solutions” for the various conflicts afflicting theregion, he said.
Ambassador Hosseini said Iran believes in “security for all”, but forrealization of the vision of an all-encompassing peace, all sides will haveto take “clear steps”. Iran on its part, he said, was ready for dialoguewith Riyadh.
“Although there has been no positive response from Saudi Arabia as yet, butwe have not lost hope,” he stated.
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He said that Tehran saw Pakistan’s role for regional peace as a “veryimportant” one. Pakistan, he said, had been “a good ally” in both good andbad times.
“Tehran attaches high value to brotherly country of Pakistan,” he added.
He said PM Imran Khan was “sincerely” trying to improve bilateralrelations. His efforts, he said, brought the two countries closer.
He said security forces of the both countries were cooperating for bordersecurity and the situation was much better now.
Iran, he said, was ready to join CPEC. He called for finding ways to dealwith the sanctions and restrictions on Iran for expanding economiccooperation.
About the assassination of senior Iranian commander General QassemSoleimani by the United States, Ambassador Hosseini said that USA bycommitting this act had once again proven that it not only had theslightest respect and care for human and ethical values, but also saw noobligation to legal and international rules and laws.
Former Defense Secretary Lt Gen (r) Asif Yasin Malik asked Iran to remainvigilant of India and the Hindu mindset there. India, he said, had no lovelost for the Muslims.
Executive Director IPI Prof Sajjad Bokhari, on this occasion, said thatPak-Iran ties had been impacted by the regional and the geo-politicalenvironment. Citing examples of Pakistan staying out of Yemen War andoffering mediation on multiple occasions, he observed that the two sideshad importantly collaborated for peace in the past.
He suggested that the existing bilateral cooperation for peace and securitycould be further strengthened by working together for a regional securityarrangement that could bring together all regional players and under whichthey could work together to address their security concerns.
The first step in the direction, he noted would be to develop strategicconvergence and build trust.
