Iran’s Shamkhani: Any Alliance With ‘Israel’ Threatens Regional Stability, Security

Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran on Wednesday.

He underlined the emphasis on neighboring countries in the Islamic Republic's foreign policy, asserting that Tehran’s coherent policy towards its neighbors is to expand all-out and strategic relations on the principle of good neighborliness.

Iran's top security official went on to describe terrorism and Zionism as the two main sources of insecurity in the region, saying any alliance with the Zionist regime, even of a non-security and no-military nature, will "threaten the stability and security of the region."

Shamkhani said Iran's behavior in the region shows it has always been interested in collective security and respect for the territorial integrity of other countries.

He pointed to Tehran’s strong condemnation of Kuwait invasion and occupation in August 1990 by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, and Iran’s support for Qatar in the face of a Saudi-led economic and diplomatic embargo against the energy-rich Gulf country as clear examples of such a strategy.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Shamkhani referred to the negotiations over the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], stressing that Iran's approach is to reach a strong, lasting and reliable agreement in the talks.

“Oppressive sanctions against Iran should be removed in such a way that all countries could easily invest in the country while maintaining their long-term interests,” the top security official said.

He noted that Iran entered the new round of negotiations in Doha with the aim of reaching an agreement, and will adhere to diplomacy as it did in the past in order to fully restore its legal rights.

Shamkhani wished Qatar success in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and once again voiced Iran’s readiness to offer cooperation in this regard.

The Qatari foreign minister, for his part, underlined the need for regional dialogue and negotiations to overcome man-made barriers and advance bilateral and multilateral relations.

He pointed to Qatar's firm support for talks on removal of anti-Iran sanctions, saying, all parties should "honor the commitments enshrined in the JCPOA and return to the agreement as soon as possible.”