Iran Urges Regional States to Bolster Own Security Without Foreign Reliance

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that regional countries should interact and strengthen their own security without relying on foreigners. He made the remarks at a weekly press briefing.

Referring to the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, Baghaei stressed that the agreement is a sign of a changing perception among regional states. He highlighted that these countries have realized that security cannot be provided by relying on foreign powers.

Baghaei noted that regional countries, particularly since the start of the genocide in Gaza and Israeli attacks three years ago, have increasingly recognized the source of the greatest threat to stability and security in the region and beyond. He pointed to the Zionist regime's attacks on Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, as well as its threats against other countries in the region, emphasizing that such developments have strengthened the understanding that regional states can no longer rely on US claims to provide security.

The Iranian spokesman also said that the United States itself has contributed to insecurity in the region, arguing that the Israeli regime could not have carried out its actions without American support. He stressed Iran's view that regional security is indivisible, saying that any initiative that correctly identifies the enemy and the threat could contribute to strengthening peace and security.

Turning to the collection of fees (tolls) for providing services in the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei stressed that monitoring navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is natural. He went on to say that the southern route in the Strait of Hormuz is illegal, unsafe, and violates the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He emphasized that security is not an imported commodity and that the trio pact among regional countries is a shift in perception.

According to Mehr News, this item is being updated.