Tehran’s influence based on respect for independence of countries
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Friday that Iran's influence in the region is not a hardware one and has not been based on militarism.
Qasemi made the remarks speaking exclusively to IRNA, when asked to comment about the recent reports by certain media and voices of concern by some regional officials about Iran's growing influence in the region, the latest of which was anti-Iran remarks by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman during his Malaysia visit.
Iran’s influence is spiritual, cultural and inherent which cannot be achieved with money, weapons and propaganda, the spokesman said.
Iran’s influence is not a hardware one necessarily based on militarism, Qasemi said, adding that one can simply figure out this reality with a comparison between the costs made by Iran and other military indicators of Iran with those of other regional and world powers.
He said that Tehran’s influence is based on respect for sovereignty and independence of other countries and refusing to intervene in domestic affairs of regional states.
“Any country has its own means. Isn’t it true that Saudi Arabia is pursuing Wahhabism and Salafism by the means of money, weapons, al-Qaeda, Daesh and al-Nusra? It’s natural that the people tend to follow the country which owns better means.”
Regional influence of Islamic Republic of Iran is not a threat to any regional country and Iran’s essential goal in the region is good neighborliness, the spokesman said.
END