Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his ministry will pursue implementation of the anti-terrorism and anti-extremism proposals made by President Hassan Rouhani at the first international conference on 'World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE)' in Tehran this morning.

"We will pursue Mr. Rouhani's proposals in different international meetings, including this meeting, and God willing we will follow up (his) viewpoints at the UN and other international bodies in a bid to achieve our common goal that is fighting against extremism and violence as well as campaigning against the anti-Islam and anti-human moves …," Zarif told reporters on the sidelines of his trilateral meeting with the Iraqi and Syrian foreign ministers in Tehran on Tuesday.

He also pointed to the WAVE Conference, and said the gathering played a complementary role to 'The World Congress on Extremist and Takfiri Movements in the Islamic Scholars' View' which was held in Iran's Holy City of Qom last month.

Zarif also referred to his trilateral meeting with his Iraqi and Syrian counterparts in Tehran, and said, "Iran, Iraq and Syria are three countries that share common views on fighting terrorism and extremism and they have resisted on this path; hence their cooperation in this field is needed."

"At this meeting we agreed to continue our cooperation and this was our first such meeting," he added.

Earlier today addressing the WAVE Conference in Tehran, President Rouhani called on the regional countries to increase cooperation and coordination to fight violence and marginalize extremist groups, cautioning that the intervention of the trans-regional powers only worsens the situation.

"A world free of violence is materialized when the governments cooperate with each other and have coordinated policy-making and if so, the extremist groups will be marginalized," Rouhani said, addressing conference.

He underlined the necessity for cooperation among the regional governments to uproot violence and extremism, and said, "The roots of violence can be dried up in the region through cooperation among governments."

Meantime Rouhani warned against the meddling of the trans-regional powers, saying that their intrusion in regional affairs only worsens the status quo.

He further demanded political, economic, social, cultural and educational development in the regional nations as well as religious tolerance and broadening inter-state and international economic ties and cooperation as the vital prerequisites for eradicating extremism and terrorism.

On September 25, 2013, President Rouhani proposed the WAVE initiative in his address to the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

On December 18, 2013, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to approve Iran's proposal, which called on all nations across the globe to denounce violence and extremism.

President Rouhani proposed today that December 18 will be named as the International Day against Violence and Extremism after Iran's proposal was approved by the UN.

On December 20, 2013, Iran offered to host an international conference on UN resolution adopted based on President Rouhani’s WAVE initiative which is now being held in Tehran with several world ministers' participation.
 

News ID 187432