NAM nations must unite against unilateralism: Iranian president
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) receives Venezuelan foreign and oil ministers in Tehran
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has called for closer ties between Iran and Latin American states, especially Venezuela, saying independent nations should stand united in the face of unilateralism and extremism in the world.
In a Wednesday meeting with Venezuela’s visiting Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez and Oil Minister Nelson Martinez, Rouhani said independent states, particularly the members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), “should try hand in hand to play a more active role in regional and international affairs.”
He added that the US can no more rally the world’s public opinion behind its own causes, a situation which offers a good chance to NAM members for a more influential role in the developments across the world.
The Iranian president further said Iran and Venezuela are common in the principal policy of protecting their independence and resisting against all the countries pursuing unilateralism in the world.
“The circumstances of today’s world entails that independent countries, especially NAM’s members, act in a more united fashion against unilateralism, extremism, and violence, while protecting [the rights of] their [respective] nations,” the Iranian president stated.
NAM, an international organization with 120 member states and 21 observer countries, represents nearly two-thirds of the UN members. It is regarded as not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The movement is currently chaired by Venezuela, which has taken over the role from Iran as per the position’s rotating nature.
Hassan Rouhani also hailed the positive step taken towards the stabilization of oil prices at an OPEC meeting in Algeria, saying all or the organization’s oil producers should try to consolidate the prices at a fair level for both the producers and the consumers.
OPEC members agreed at the meeting to limit oil production in an effort to raise the low crude prices.
They decided to cut production by 750,000 barrels a day. The move came after Saudi Arabia had created an oil glut in the market, which severely damaged other oil-driven economies across the world.
EA
