Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani told reporters on the sidelines of a military arms exhibition in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday that promoting the expansion of defense ties among regional countries is part of Iran's defense policy. Shamkhani noted that there are ample grounds for such cooperation in security and defense matters. Therefore, Tehran is working hard to expand regional cooperation and convergence based on mutual interests.

In line with the Islamic Republic's détente policy, Iran sees cooperation in security matters as an effective way to maintain stability and security in the region. Accordingly, Iran is endeavoring to eliminate misunderstandings and suspicions and to foster trust-building strategies to create regional harmony and security.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken important measures to consolidate friendly relations with regional countries. The security agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia is part of this policy. This cooperation now includes other regional countries such as Oman and Kuwait.

The remarks of the Kuwaiti defense minister calling for and stressing the importance of military cooperation with Iran are along the same lines. He told the Kuwaiti daily Assiasat on Tuesday that Persian Gulf countries are anxious to enter into defense cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Kuwaiti minister said that he viewed the defense pact with Iran signed this year as the first step on this path. He also stressed that Iran is an important regional power, so it is natural that Iran should be part of all political, economic, and security matters in the region.

The Persian Gulf has witnessed two extremely devastating wars in the past two decades. Also, the experience of the presence of foreign forces in the region has not been good and has proven that outsiders cannot succeed in maintaining peace in the region. Consequently, political and security cooperation is the only way to maintain stability and security in the region and is to the benefit of all Persian Gulf countries.

The Iranian defense minister's call for defense and security cooperation between regional countries is within this framework.