Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 1
By Farhad Daneshvar – Trend:
The 7th Ministerial Conference, being held as part of the Istanbul Process is an attempt aimed at expanding the cooperation among the region’s countries, and particularly, at contributing to the security issue in Afghanistan and its revival, said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
He made the remarks addressing the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA) conference, titled “Security and Economic Connectivity towards a Strengthened Heart of Asia Region”, in Baku Dec. 1.
The minister noted that Iran initially participated in the process and actively participates in the work of the conference.
Establishing peace in Afghanistan is an important issue for Iran, Zarif said.
The “Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process" is an important regional platform for political dialogue and close regional cooperation aimed at promoting stability, peace and prosperity in region, and for enhancing Afghanistan's connectivity with the entire region.
The participating states are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations.