Shamkhani: Foreign Influence in Region Fruitless
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani highlighted the futility of influence of outsiders in the region, calling on the neighbors to remain vigilant in the face of foreign plots.
“Powerful Iran has always been benevolent to its neighbors & never posed a threat to them,” Shamkhani said in a post on his Twitter account on Saturday.
He emphasized that regional countries can resolve problems through collective cooperation.
“Any foreign influence is fruitless so we call on neighbors to be vigilant in this regard & to stay away from them,” he added.
Iran recently held military drills in the country’s northwestern border area, which was criticized by the Republic of Azerbaijan, whose President Ilham Aliyev said he was “very surprised” by Iran’s decision to hold drills close to his country’s borders, and questioned the timing of the maneuvers.
Aliyev had also accused Iran of sending over trucks to “illegally” cross into the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is a matter of dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Iran’s Armed Forces regularly hold military maneuvers to elevate their preparedness and military prowess. The drills serve as a warning message to the enemies against any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran has been suspicious of Azerbaijan’s links to the Israeli regime, whose supply of drones and other weapons helped Baku gain the upper hand in the war with Armenia last year, Press TV reported.