Tehran, 2008 Feb 9, IRIB 
 
IRI's Deputy Foreign Minister for Education and Research Dr Manouchehr Mohammadi said on Friday that the violence and increase of terrorism in Iraq is proof of the Americans failure.

"Security affairs should be handed to the democratically elected government of Iraq" Dr Mohammadi said advocating his confidence in Iraq's ability to provide security and stability.

On Afghanistan, Dr Mohammadi said that both Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran shoulder responsibility to establish peace and stability in the region highlighting the need for mutual cooperation between states in dealing with drug trafficking and terrorism.

Concerning the Middle East, Dr Mohammadi stated that there was a great moral confusion with regards to current discourses on the Zionist regime-Palestinian conflict expressing his concern for the current situation of Palestinians in Gaza.

He condemned the crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinians which could never have been achieved without the support of America.

On relations between IRI and Pakistan, Dr Mohammadi once again reiterated the historical brotherhood between the two nations and said that Iran supports Pakistan's fight against terrorism which threatens stability in the region.

With regards to bilateral relations he advocated the need for deeper economic, commercial and parliamentary cooperation, and that he was optimistic of future relations between the two nations.

In the question and answer section, Dr Mohammadi said that in Islam, sects do not exist, only different schools of thought, and that the current sectarianism in Iraq is a product of foreign intervention.

He said that there are no problems between Sunnis and Shiis in Iran and that as governor general of Sistan Baluchestan he had not dealt with one case of sectarian violence.

He presented the Iranian political system as a successful marriage between democracy and religion.

He maintained that Iranian identity is a product of an interaction between Persian culture and Islam and furthermore that Iranian foreign policy is based on multi-lateralism with an outlook that emphasises the importance of the Muslim World.

In addition, Dr Mohammadi talked about the historical reality of Western plots against the nations of the Muslim World.