Zarif Slams Persian Gulf Arab States' Futile Clinging to Trump

Zarif expressed regret that a few regional governments lost the opportunity to cooperate with Iran due to relying on the former US administration of Donald Trump, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought to have friendly relations with Persian Gulf littoral states.”

 “This region belongs to all of us and its security is in the interest of all of us," he added.

Zarif stressed that the regional countries should know that they and Iran will stay in this region and others will be gone.

In relevant remarks last year, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Tehran, called upon all neighboring countries of the region to rely on intra-regional capacities to stop the US from throwing the region into further mayhem.

During the January 12, 2020 meeting with Sheikh Tamim, Ayatollah Khamenei said corrupt actions taken by the United States and its allies are the main cause of the current situation in the region, urging regional countries to boost cooperation to undo such actions.

Describing the current conditions in the region as unfavorable, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The reason behind this situation in corrupt actions taken by American and its allies and the only way to counter it is to rely on inter-regional cooperation.”

In another part of his remarks, the Leader pointed to good political ties between Iran and Qatar, saying, "The two countries' economic relations are not on the same level as political relations and Iran-Qatar cooperation should further improve in common fields."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly announced and Mr. President [Hassan Rouhani] has also explicitly stated that Iran is ready for closer cooperation with regional countries," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

The Leader stated, "Of course, some parties who have come to this region from across the world are not interested in the expansion of cooperation among regional countries, but this issue has nothing to do with them and regional countries and nations do not accept such bullying and interference anymore."