Iranian Defense Minister: US, “Israel” Employing Terrorism to Project Influence

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian defense minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami lashed out at the US and the “Israeli” entity for taking advantage of terrorism to impose their plans.

Addressing a meeting of the defense ministers of the Indian Ocean Region [IOR], held in India’s Bangalore on Thursday, Hatami said Iran’s experience of years of battle with terrorism indicates that it can spread like a contagious disease wherever the ground is prepared.

He added that the US and the Zionist regime seize every opportunity to utilize terrorism as a tool to project influence and will.

Warning of the spread of terrorism in the Indian Ocean region, the minister voiced Iran’s readiness to share its experiences in the war on terrorism with other regional states.

Iran does not welcome the militarization of region and is concerned about the unconstructive arms race and stockpile of weapons in the region, General Hatami stated, warning against the sinister plots hatched by the extra-regional colonial powers to sell more arms and prevent growth in the regional nations.

Describing the Indian Ocean as the Islamic Republic of Iran’s maritime gateway to the outer world, the defense minister said the Indian Ocean littoral countries deserve to enjoy all privileges of the water body, security and development.

“We believe that the Indian Ocean has a great potential for global peace-making, and could be defined as a ‘symbol region’ for the world. Such demand would be achievable through cooperation, commitment, innovation, rationality and courage,” Hatami noted.

Heading a military delegation, the Iranian defense minister has traveled to Bangalore at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

The Iranian general on Wednesday participated in the opening of the biennial Aero India air show and held a meeting with Chief of Defense Staff of India Bipin Rawat.