Iran, Britain Discuss Ways of Eradicating TerrorismIranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi and visiting British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Tuesday discussed ways to expand cooperation, especially in the field of fighting terrorism, between the two countries, the official IRNA news agency reported.During the meeting, Straw, who arrived here early Tuesday morning for a one-day visit, appreciated Iran's stance and its quick denunciation of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, urging all countries to unite in efforts to root out terrorism. He also highlighted Iran's key role in the Persian Gulf, which " has encouraged Britain and other European countries to embark on activities aimed at promoting bilateral as well as other areas of cooperation with Iran." Referring to Iran's key role in the global fight against drug trafficking and dealing with refugees from various war-ravaged countries, Straw appealed to the world community to continue to support Iran's efforts in the areas. He also voiced Britain's keen desire to enhance economic cooperation with Iran. For his part, Kharazi said that Iran welcomes any step toward expanding the Tehran-London cooperation based on mutual respect for each other's values and principles. However, he stressed Iran's great concern over the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan which "will result in more victims of innocent humans." Any step toward solving the problem of terrorism should be coordinated, reasonable and have the backing of all countries, Kharazi reiterated, saying that "any encounter with terrorism cannot be based on hasty or emotional reactions." Straw's visit, the first ever by a British foreign secretary since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, was originally arranged in November, and brought forward after British Prime Minister Tony Blair had phone talks with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami last Thursday on anti-terrorism cooperation following the anti-U.S. attack. Earlier, Straw said in a message that the London-Tehran ties have been on an upswing in recent years, expressing hope that the two countries can embark on closer cooperation on terrorism. Britain's ties with Iran suffered a setback due to a religious decree issued by Iran in 1989 to call for the death of British writer Salman Rushdie for alleged blasphemy against Islam. The Iranian-British relations have improved since Iran said in September 1998 that it would not seek to apply the decree. |
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