Iran’s President: Region on Brink of New Era of Eradication of Violence

“Fortunately, we are now in a situation where the ISIS bases have collapsed and the rest of the terrorist groups are also facing collapse,” President Rouhani said, addressing the tripartite summit of Iran, Russia and Turkey, which was held in Sochi, Russia on Wednesday.

Thr full text of the President's speech is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Your Excellency Mr Putin, the honourable President of the Russian Federation,

Your Excellency Mr Erdoğan, the honourable President of the Republic of Turkey

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I am willing to appreciate His Excellency Mr Putin for hosting this important summit in the beautiful city of Sochi. It is a pleasure to see the efforts made by the three countries of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey less than a year after the start of the Astana process, extensive efforts to confront terrorism and extremism and to provide the basis for a political solution to the Syrian crisis have borne fruit and a new vision has been opened to end the Syrian crisis. We are very pleased that the three countries, while emphasising the territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence and unity of Syria, are committed to working closely to bring about peace and stability in Syria.

The Syrian crisis was accompanied with direct foreign intervention, including through full-scale deployment, equipping, arming and supporting of warmongers, who subsequently formed the body of ISIS and al-Nusra Front, to fuel terrorism and extremism, and this became the most important factor in prolonging the crisis. Fortunately, we are now in a situation where the ISIS bases have collapsed and the rest of the terrorist groups are also facing collapse.

This victory is undoubtedly indebted to the braveries and sacrifices of the Iraqi and Syrian people and the volunteers, soldiers and brave young people who shattered the evil fortresses of terrorism and shut down wild flares. They are the pioneers of the international community in the fight against the hateful barbarism that rose to threat human civilization.

It is imperative to continue the fight against terrorism until the eradication of the last nuclei of takfiri terrorists in Syria so that the Syrians will never be subjected to terrorism or terrorist operations.

If the nations and countries of the region today have to learn lessons from the fabricated crisis in Syria, it is to know that some powers, which claim to respect democracy and human rights, do not hesitate to take any action, even the widespread use of terrorism and violence, to achieve their mean goals in our region. The lessons these powers have not learnt are that the effects and consequences of terrorism and extremism will not remain confined to a region and not part of the world will remain protected from this phenomenon.

The region is now on the brink of a new era of eradication of violence, and the creators of terrorism, with the concern and panic about the defeat of ISIS and transfer of extremism to their countries, are struggling to promote crisis and ambiguity about the stability-building efforts of countries in the region, including Iran, to counteract against the actions of resistance forces, including the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Over the past six years, the Syrian people have faced with takfiri, blind terrorism, which has widely enjoyed financial, intelligence and arms support of foreigners, and in this unequal struggle, needs the support of friend nations and governments to prevent the domination of the terrorists and their sponsors on their Arabian and Islamic lands.

The Islamic Republic of Iran was the first government to respond positively to the Syrian people and government to help confront the terrorists, and began helping the Syrian people return peace and security to their country based on the invitation of the Syrian government to counteract and eliminate the terrorists and prevent the repetition of the pattern of destabilizing the countries of the region, such as what began in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Before this, Iran has been doing everything in its power in Afghanistan and Iraq to secure and rebuild the two countries and fight against terrorism, and has worked with legal representatives and governments in these countries. We are serious about the fight against international terrorism and we are ready to help other countries in the region upon their request.

Unfortunately, some countries in our region are following the United States and the Zionist Regime, seeking to sow discord and disagreement among the nations of the region, and will be held accountable for the consequences of their malicious policies, including the spread of sectarianism and racism.

The policies of Iran, one of the manifestations of which is its presence in the Astana process, is in contrast to division-seekers and chaos-makers. Iran’s strategy in its surrounding region is based on cooperation not competition, coordination not conflict, following the will of nations not foreign states, and peace-seeking not warmongering.

I declare here that all efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran are in accordance with the principles and standards of the United Nations and the Charter of the United Nations, and have been organized through the development of legitimate cooperation to support a stable region. Our engagement at this summit also shows how the three countries, through engagement and friendship and cooperation, have eradicated the corruption of terror and terrorism from Syria and shattered the shadow of ISIS from the country, and portrayed a bright future for the region.

In the present circumstances, our great mission is not only the fight against terrorism, but also a major effort to eradicate forms of discrimination, poverty and violence throughout the region. That is why regional communications and institutions need to be deepened and strengthened. With this approach, we can consider joint development and the formation of a stronger region and benefit from its blessings.

Now that we are on the verge of holding the Syrian-Syrian congress, I would like to emphasise the following points as fundamental solutions to the Syrian crisis:

1- The war on terrorism has not ended yet. In any case, the recent victory against ISIS should not make us neglect the persistence of the threat of takfiri terrorists in Syria and the region. Therefore, it is essential that we help the Syrians to continue to fight the devastating scourge with the necessary coherence until the full defeat of terrorism in their country. In this struggle, respect for Syrian national sovereignty is indispensable. And now there is no excuse for the military presence of foreigners in Syria without the consent of the legitimate government of that country.

2. After years of fighting against the terrorists and their supporters, the Syrians are now in a position to take advantage of the new conditions that can secure their future, in which basic human freedoms are guaranteed, ethnic diversity respected, and democracy consolidated. The Syrians do not allow foreigners to interfere in their internal affairs, and will confront any action that would harm the sovereignty of the country, full national sovereignty, and unity and independence of that country.

3- The role of the international community in the future of Syria should be aimed at helping the people of the country to achieve stability, eliminate humanistic sufferings and rebuild the country, and not seek to interfere or impose their views on the Syrian people. On this path, inclusive humanitarian action, without any political considerations and agenda, should be at the top of the agenda in order to reduce the suffering of the Syrian people. Creating a safe environment for voluntary return of the displaced and refugees to their home country requires cooperation between countries and international organisations. Syria’s reconstruction and economic development require active and universal participation of the international community, with particular attention to the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure and the revival of Syria’s productive capacities through regional partnership.

Todays meeting is the beginning of this new phase. Our joint effort over the past 11 months has shown that we have been able to achieve significant success in stopping the conflicts in Syria with political and field cooperation and coordination. The new phase of facilitating national dialogue, like the success of the Astana process, will require continuity of consultation, coordination and cooperation between the three countries at different levels.

At the end, I would like to sincerely thank the Kazakh people and government for hosting the Astana summits, the Turkish government and President Erdogan, and the Russian government and President Putin for their cooperation and support within the framework of the Astana process. I hope that the continuation of this tripartite and productive partnership will pave the way for a quick solution to the Syrian crisis and the end of this erosive conflict.