Salehi: PG Name, As Old As Iranian History

Tehran, May 1, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said the Persian Gulf is as old as the history of Iran and stressed that the name has been a universal, unrivaled and unique title for the water stretch throughout history. In a message read at a ceremony celebrating the National Day of the Persian Gulf, Salehi said that the Persian Gulf is the home to all people living both in its southern and northern coasts. The top official said the inhabitants of the two coasts are the permanent neighbors of each other so they have to accept the geographical and historical fact that they have to have a friendly and brotherly coexistence. Pointing out that the strategic region of the Persian Gulf is of supreme importance to Iran, Salehi said Iran considers the Persian Gulf region not merely as one which brings financial benefits to the country due to its energy resources and geopolitical situation but, more significantly, as a region which provides chances for common and longstanding values to blossom. Referring to the current developments in the region, Salehi said, he believes that the best and most appropriate way for the regional states was to let their nations determine their destinies through ballot boxes./end