Top Iranian military official says powers of U.S., West declining

TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian military official said on Saturday that the influence of the United States and the West as global powers is declining, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Baqeri said global power is shifting toward Asia and the East despite the "global arrogance," referring to the United States and its Western allies, have desperately taken measures to prevent the emergence of a future world order.

He said Iran and Pakistan are two "important" countries of the Muslim world and West Asia with shared common border and security concerns, such as the consequences of U.S. "irresponsible" military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 after 20-year occupation.

Baqeri also highlighted the necessity of carrying out greater cooperation between the two countries to ensure security along the common border.