Iran's President Rouhani opposes pressures on Qatar

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said that the Islamic republic is against the pressures by the Saudi-led bloc on Qatar, Tehran Times daily reported.

"Threats, pressures and imposing sanctions on a neighboring country like Qatar is a wrong approach and all should make efforts to end tension in the region," Rouhani said during a meeting with the visiting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.

The bloc, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, has severed diplomatic ties with gas-rich Qatar, accusing it of supporting and financing extremism and terrorism, which Doha has repeatedly denied.

Certain countries' "wrong decisions" have also caused crises in Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, Rouhani said, adding that such a situation is harmful to the entire regional countries.

The Iranian president stressed that Tehran welcomes any attempt to end conflicts in the Middle East, and negotiation is the only way to settle crises in Yemen and Bahrain.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has given positive response to the governments which asked for help in fighting terrorism," he was quoted as saying.

"All countries' cooperation and help are required to eradicate terrorism as a contagious disease," he stressed.

Rouhani went on by adding that Iran stood beside the Iraqi people in fighting the terrorists and will continue to support them in this respect in the future.

For his part, the Omani minister highlighted the importance of putting an immediate end to crises in the region through diplomatic ways.

Bin Alawi added Iran has played an "effective" role in fighting terrorism.

Omani foreign minister arrived in Iran's capital Tehran on Wednesday for talks with Iranian senior officials.

He is also scheduled to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on bilateral and regional issues.

The Omani top diplomat's visit to Iran comes amid a diplomatic standoff between Qatar and the Saudi-led bloc.

source: Xinhua