Zarif: Hormuz Peace Endeavor is still on the table

Tehran, Dec 8, IRNA - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message stressed that Hormuz Peace Endeavor is still on the table, saying we can ask directly about our region without foreigners' meddling. "Why ask US/E3 for inclusion in talks with Iran when: a) There won't be ANY talks about OUR region with them as they're the problem themselves b) We can speak directly about our region without outside meddling. Hormuz Peace Endeavor (#HOPE) is still on the table," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account on Tuesday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Hormuz Peace Endeavor at the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September in a bid to bring back peace and security to the strategic region. After that, the Iranian government has sent letters to the southern Arab states in the Persian Gulf to seize the opportunity to reduce tensions with Iran and provide free maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The move shows how serious Iran is in ending differences with its neighbors. The HOPE Coalition is an answer to the US move to create a global coalition to escort oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The presence of the US and its allies in the Middle East is the main source of tensions there like the events that are taking place in Iraq and Lebanon these days.