Zarif Meets Counterparts From Lebanon, Bangladesh, Venezuela

Tehran, Aug 5, IRNA – A number of NAM foreign ministers participating in Tehran NAM Palestine Committee Conference met and conferred with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif here Monday evening. In a meeting with the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad, Zarif exchanged viewpoints on latest developments in Gaza. Faisal Miqdad evaluated the Tehran NAM Palestine Committee Conference as a successful event, emphasizing the importance of the presence of President Hassan Rouhani in it and the significance of the issues included in his opening address. Shared threats against Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, as well as bilateral cooperation and ties were among the other issues addressed in that meeting. Zarif also met and conferred with the Lebanese Foreign Minister Jibran Basil on the sidelines of the Tehran NAM Palestine Committee Conference. The Iranian top diplomat said in that metering that the conditions in the region, particularly in Gaza are very tough, evaluating the move made by the NAM Palestine Committee in defense of the besieged and dying Gaza residents as an important move. Zarif also expressed hope that the international society would act in accordance with its humanitarian duties towards the rights of the innocent human beings who are entrapped in Gaza today. The Lebanese foreign minister, too, for his part appreciated Iran for its fine hosting of the Tehran NAM Palestine Committee Conference and praised the role that the Islamic Republic of Iran plays in defense of the resistance movement against occupation and the massacre of the innocent people in Gaza. The two foreign ministers also in their meeting surveyed the latest status in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. On the sidelines of the Monday conference Zarif also met and conferred with an adviser to the Bangladeshi prime minister. The two sides in the meeting referred to the prevailing sad conditions in Gaza and stressed the need for the international societyˈs serious attention to the matter aimed at crisis resolving in Gaza. Ways for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in various fields, too, were discussed in the meeting. In his meeting with the Venezuelan foreign minister, too, Zarif appreciated the right, precise and revolutionary stands adopted by the Venezuelan Government on the massacre of the defenseless Gaza residents and the devastating and destructive anti-humane approach of the racist Zionist regime. He also evaluated the Iran-Venezuela relations as strong and amicable with high potential for further improvement and broadening. Zarif said that the Latin American countriesˈ movement is a noble one that is important for the future of the world nations and in that respect Venezuelaˈs resistance against the unilateralist approach in the world is praiseworthy. The Venezuelan foreign minister, too, appreciating the Islamic Republic of Iranˈs fine sponsoring of the Tehran NAM Palestine Committee Conference said that Caracas welcomes any move aimed at blocking the path for further massacre of the defenseless Palestinian people by the Zionist regime. The two sides meanwhile reviewed the existing potentials for cooperation in various political, economic and cultural fields and considered the upcoming joint economic cooperation commission of the two countries as an ideal opportunity for surveying the ways for further expansion of ties. They also evaluated the two countriesˈ top officialsˈ visits of each othersˈ countries as an effective factor in further strengthening of the bilateral cooperation. The Iranian foreign minister meanwhile after the end of the Monday conference had two separate meetings with the deputy foreign ministers of Tunisia and Algeria. Zarif elaborated on the dimensions of the bestial moves made by the racist Zionist regime against the defenseless, innocent Gaza residents, emphasizing the need for an ever more proactive approach by the global community, the Islamic countries and the NAM in that respect. He reiterated the great significance of relations with each of those two countries, announcing Iranˈs readiness for the expansion of cooperation with them in political and economic fields. The deputy Tunisian and Algerian foreign ministers, too, for their parts elaborated on their affiliated governmentsˈ viewpoints on Gaza crisis and stressed the need for attracting the international communityˈs attention to the matter before it gets too late for the entrapped Palestinians there. In those two meetings also the developments related to security of some African countries were discussed. Foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement in an emergency meeting in Tehran on Monday called on the International Criminal Court to bring the Israeli leaders to justice for the war crimes they committed in Gaza since July 8. In a statement issued at the end of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Committee on Palestine on Situation in Gaza in Tehran, the participants expressed indignation at creating bloodbath in Gaza and urged the United Nations Security Council to stop the Israeli crimes against humanity in Gaza./end