IFP - Iran says the incumbent US administration will definitely harm Europe�s interests if it keeps silent over Trump�s policies.



Addressing at the sixth Iran-EU banking conference on Saturday, Abbas Akhoundi, Iran�s minister of roads, housing and urban development, said, �We are at a point in history when Europe has a determining role in that it can push the world towards peace or [on the contrary] contribute to the expansion of war and unrest across the globe with one single mistake or not doing enough.�

He said the world is passing through a transition period at the moment.

�Undoubtedly, the world is undergoing a bipolar change at this juncture, and events have taken place in the world that have led to tugs of war which are too serious to be included in a diplomatic framework and dialogue,� he said.

�The developments unfolding amid this dialogue are tough and deep-rooted, and we cannot deny that and we cannot get past it with just a few diplomatic sentences,� he added.

He said some forces have emerged in the domain of the global power that are undeniable, adding a kind of �numbness� and �backwardness� can be seen in the United States� role and status on the world stage.

�This comes as the US once regarded itself as the guardian, protector and base of a free world and the economy of market and a competitive economy; this can be seen well in the Cold War era,� said Akhoundi, who is also a member of Iran�s Money and Credit Council.

He said the Israeli regime is now doing risky actions.

�There is also a dubious power in the world, which belongs to Europe; it means, on the one hand, the volume of transactions and [trade] exchanges with the US, which takes place within the framework of a strategic alliance, cannot be overlooked easily and cannot be ignored overnight; on the other, it is completely clear to European intellectuals that what is being pursued by the American system will not lead to global development,� he said.

�I believe that although European scholars do not say this straightforwardly, Europe�s concern about the US behaviour is expressed in many articles,� he said.

�Of course, in the talks we have with the Europeans, they say the volume of Europe�s trade with the US is very high, but what is strategically important is that if Europe does not adopt a clear stance about the US, will it be able to keep benefiting from its current economic advantages?� the minister underlined.

He said if the current American system, as it is, further fuels insecurity, it will definitely wreck Europe�s current interests as well.

�Regarding this, we believe that we know our historical situation as well as political and economic geography more or less, though we have clear errors and weaknesses as well,� he said.

�Anyway, we are heir to an Iranian civilisation which is thousands of years old, and we have played a key role in forming this civilisation. Moreover, we have also contributed to the formation of the Islamic civilisation, so we are not a little-known nation in the world,� he noted.

Akhoundi said Iran is reviewing its role in the world, and although it may have some errors, it will find its place.

�In this regard, we remain committed to our agreements. Furthermore, Iran is a civilisation comprising different ethnic groups. So, we have been good at tolerance and adaptation and accepting the existence of one another,� he said.

�We are certainly a reliable partner for talks, and we accept that we need to play with international regulations; so, we understand that navigation and aviation are not possible without joining international contracts.�

He said the banking system is based on international regulations as well.

�Although there may be agreements that we have not joined, at the end of the day, we will solve problems in a regional and win-win dialogue,� the minister noted.

He then said peace can lay the groundwork for economic development.

�The point we are facing now is more fundamental than the banking issue; it means we should learn how to preserve peace in the region as a base for economic development. My understanding is that what the US is doing is not an economic move; rather, it is a dangerous return and an inappropriate move to sustain instability across the world, and, as a nation, we expect Europe to prevent a return to mercantilistic systems, and urge it not to think that it can safeguard its interests if it is indifferent towards that issue,� he said.