Iranian minister criticizes 'transregional states' for causing 'insecurity, division'

TEHRAN -- The presence of "transregional countries" in any region of the world has led to "insecurity and division," Iranian Students' News Agency quoted Iranian defense minister as saying on Sunday.

Such a presence in West Asia has never been intended to support human rights, promote democracy, or help people in the region, but to ensure energy flow and Israel's security, Mohammadreza Ashtiani was quoted as saying during a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Thabet Muhammad Saeed al-Abbasi in Tehran on Saturday.

"Transregional countries" caused "fabricated crises" in the region and took advantage of the differences and conflicts among Muslim countries to achieve these objectives, Ashtiani noted.

Regarding bilateral ties, Ashtiani said that the enemies sought to undermine the unity and solidarity between Iran and Iraq and called for increased vigilance in the face of such "hostile conspiracies."

Iran supports Iraq's unity and territorial integrity and seeks to help Iraq in maintaining its stability and security, said Ashtiani.

The presence of "terrorist groups and hidden but active cells" in Iraq, particularly in the Iraqi provinces near the common border, was cited by the Iranian minister as a persistent potential threat to their national security.

He highlighted the need for increased military, intelligence, and security coordination as well as cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad in the face of the common threats.

While lambasting the U.S. for committing the "heinous crime" of "cowardly" assassinating top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and the deputy commander of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iranian minister said the legal pursuit against the perpetrators in the case is still on Iran's agenda.

On Jan. 3, 2020, the U.S. military assassinated the two commanders in a drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. The assassination was condemned by Iran as an act of "state terrorism."