Security in Persian Gulf requires regional cooperation

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Tehran considers collective regional cooperation essential for maintaining security in the Persian Gulf. Given the importance of the Strait of Hormuz as a vital route for providing the world’s energy requirements, Iran considers collective and local cooperation necessary for maintaining sustainable security in the Persian Gulf, Amir-Abdollahian said. Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Oman's Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi. “Unfortunately some parties do not pay attention to the issue and try to create crisis in the region by hasty and unreasonable measures,” the Iranian official added. Amir-Abdollahian also voiced Iran's support for Yemen’s territorial integrity, national unity and security, stressing the necessity of cooperation among Yemeni parties and movements. “Although the proposal of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) was a step forward, it was not enough,” Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that Iran is concerned about the ongoing massacre of Yemen’s Muslim people and the violation of human rights in that country. After months of unrest in Yemen, Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh handed power to his vice, Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi, under a power transfer deal proposed by the [P]GCC in April 2011. The deal granted immunity from prosecution to Saleh and his close affiliates. The top Omani diplomat, for his part, hailed Iran's efforts to establish stability and peace in the region, stressing the importance of expanding and strengthening relations between Tehran and Muscat.