Iran: US behind extremism in ME

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:07:42 GMT

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says the emergence of extremism is the brainchild of the US policies in the Middle East.

“Today, extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan has turned into an irresolvable dilemma even for those who helped develop the ideology,” said Manouchehr Mottaki in a meeting with Hedayat Oroujev, the Chairman of the State Religious Affairs of Azerbaijan.

Mottaki expressed Tehran's readiness to help settle Baku-Yerevan differences.

“Iran's foreign policy is based on peaceful coexistence and Tehran is prepared to act as a mediator to resolve disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said Mottaki.

Oroujev, for his part, said the activities of hardliners incur damages to Islam adding that the aliens fan extremism both openly and in covert operations.

Azerbaijan and Armenia went at loggerheads over the strategic Nagorno-Karabakh region. The disputes between the two states broke out in 1988, when the Armenian majority in Nagorno-Karabakh appealed to Moscow to help them join Armenia, but in 1991 rejected unification with Armenia and proclaimed total independence in 1992.

MRD/DT   Original Source