In a Sunday telephone conversation with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Rouhani stressed the need for all countries to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations, calling for concerted action to ensure stability and security in the region.
The Iranian president also extended his condolences over the loss of a number of Swedish nationals in the January 8 crash of a Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its investigations until the final results are reached and it will clearly inform public opinions about the results.”
The Iranian Armed Forces’ move to sincerely declare the cause of the Ukrainian jetliner’s crash immediately after the initial investigations was very valuable, Rouhani said, stressing the need for efforts to prevent such shocking events in the world.
He further underlined that the US military presence in the region and the assassination of Lt. General Soleimani has caused tensions in the region and has infuriated the regional nations, adding, “We should all join hands and restore security to the region and allow peace to prevail in this region.”
The issues of the region should be resolved only by the regional countries thorough political ways and dialogue, he stated, adding, “The sovereignty of the countries should be respected.”
He also described Iran’s missile attack on the US’ military base in Iraq as a completely legitimate move under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, adding, “The Americans are responsible for recent events in the region and we must all condemn US crimes in the region with a clear tone,” according to the president’s official website.
For his part, the Swedish premier expressed condolences over the loss of a number of Iranians in the plane crash, appreciated Iran for accepting responsibility for the incident, called for transparent investigations to determine the cause of the crash, and announced Sweden’s readiness to participate in the process.
Lofven also deplored the unprecedented escalation of tensions in the region, saying, “Everyone should exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries to establish stability and security.”
“Sweden, along with other EU countries, opposes escalation of tensions in the region and welcomes the development of relations and cooperation with Iran to promote regional stability and security,” the Swedish leader said.
