Iran's Foreign Minister: We Do Not Negotiate with Others on Regional Issues

The Iranian Foreign Minister, who has traveled to Tunisia and Algeria to discuss regional issues, emphasized that Iran believes the fate of regional countries should be determined by themselves and will not allow itself to "negotiate for the region with others." The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the purpose of Mohammad Javad Zarif's trip to Tunisia and Algeria was to discuss developments in the region, including in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, as well as to consult on the results of Iran's nuclear agreement with the 5+1. According to the IRNA news agency, Mr. Zarif stated at a press conference in Algeria on Tuesday, September 1, that establishing dialogues among regional countries is one of the "important axes of Iran's diplomatic efforts" and emphasized that the nuclear agreement has created a new space for expanding relations between Iran and regional countries. After the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, Iran has repeatedly stated through its foreign minister that this agreement poses no threat to any country, and Mr. Zarif has sought to gain their trust and support through visits to regional countries. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of interfering in regional countries, especially Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen, expressing concern that the nuclear agreement may provide an opportunity for increased Iranian intervention in the region. However, as reported by Mehr News Agency, Mr. Zarif also emphasized in Tunisia on Monday, September 1, that the Islamic Republic seeks to resolve regional issues without foreign intervention and therefore supports Syrian, Yemeni, and Iraqi dialogues to solve their problems. The Iranian Foreign Minister also responded to a journalist's question regarding some analysts claiming that "four Arab capitals are under Iranian control," rejecting this notion as "Iranophobia" and stating that this is what "Netanyahu" says, urging Arab countries to focus on exposing the "crimes of Zionists as the only enemy in the region." Zarif's statements about Iran's non-interference in regional countries come amid repeated assertions from Ayatollah Khamenei and other high-ranking Iranian officials supporting Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Recently, Ali Akbar Velayati, an international affairs advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, reiterated Iran's support for Bashar al-Assad. Additionally, reports indicate not only financial and military assistance from Iran to Bashar al-Assad but also the deaths of several commanders and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Syrian civil war. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government in exile have accused Iran of supporting the Houthi Shiite rebels. In turn, Iran accuses Saudi Arabia and the West of creating ISIS or the Islamic Caliphate group in Iraq and Syria. In this context, according to IRNA, Mr. Zarif on Monday in Tunisia once again criticized the "double standards" in dealing with ISIS, stating that Iran is at the forefront of the fight against ISIS. He accused the West and Saudi Arabia of having "double standards" that, according to him, "hinder the fight against ISIS and terrorism in the region." Mr. Zarif added that "one cannot fight ISIS in one country (Iraq) and take actions in another country (Syria) that assist ISIS."