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Qalibaf: Western intrigue fuels tensions in Horn of Africa, North Africa, West Asia
‘Iran, Ethiopia aim to expand economic, cultural, political ties’
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Saturday called ongoing tensions in the Horn of Africa, North Africa, and West Asia the result of plots hatched by the West to create insecurity in independent and Muslim countries.
Qalibaf made the remarks in a meeting with Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives Tagesse Chafo in Tehran.
Qalibaf said that many developments are taking place on the eastern and western side of the Red Sea, which would have a direct impact on countries’ security, urging the regional countries to jointly cooperate on security.
He underlined that countries with shared interests should stand together and cooperate.
“The root cause of insecurity in these regions, especially in Sudan, is the Zionist regime backed by the United States, which is solely pursuing its own interests in Africa.”
Qalibaf added that Sudan’s split in 2011 was also one of the West’s conspiracies, similar to what is happening in Gaza, Syria, and Yemen.
In a press conference after the meeting, Qalibaf said Iran and Ethiopia have enjoyed more than 70 years of political and economic relations, describing Ethiopia as one of Africa’s most populous countries with close cultural and historical affinity to the Islamic world.
Given the long-standing ties and the fact that both countries are now members of the BRICS group, there is a clear need to further strengthen relations, Qalibaf stated.
He said the visit by his Ethiopian counterpart is aimed at expanding cooperation in political, economic, and cultural fields, as well as opening new avenues for Iran’s engagement with the Horn of Africa countries through maritime routes.
The Iranian speaker noted that Tehran seeks to expand relations with the African countries while respecting their national sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that there are significant opportunities for cooperation between Iran and Ethiopia in areas such as agriculture, knowledge-based industries, and energy.
For his part, Chafo said the relations between the two countries date back more than seven decades. He described his trip as the most significant visit at this level in decades.
Chafo described cooperation in parliamentary, political, and economic fields as important, saying the talks had helped lay the foundation for expanding bilateral relations and utilizing existing capacities in both countries.
The Ethiopian official also held a separate meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.