FNA - Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami lashed out at Western governments for their destructive role in the Middle East, adding that former colonialists are seeking to return to the region.

�Powers from beyond the region and their profit-seeking interference are the main elements behind instability and insecurity in the region�, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Monday.

The Iranian defense minister made the comments in response to the remarks made by the French Defense Minister Florence Parly in the recent Manama conference.

Hatami said that the former colonialists are seeking to return to the region after they were expelled out by the resistance of the people of the region, while noting that the people of the region are now awakened and have not forgotten the oppression and looting of their countries.

Stressing that there is no doubt about the fact the US power is in decline (as it was referred to by the French defense minister), adding that "This does not necessarily mean that the region is ready to replace it (the US) with other arrogant powers.�

He further advised the French defense minister to have a look at the number of French citizens who joined the ISIL terrorist organization and their involvement in the crimes that were committed in Syria and Iraq.

He further pointed out that the people and the armed forces defeated ISIL terrorists with the help of Iran and Russia rather than the Western countries.

Hatami went on to describe the French defense minister and other Western officials� proposals for the security of the region as new irresponsible ways to colonialize the region which will further complicate the situation in the region.

Referring to the American and Israeli plots for the region, the Iranian defense minister noted, �The presence and the interference of the Westerners will further complicate the security conditions in the region.�

In an apparent reference to the French President Macron�s remarks on NATO, he advised Western countries to give up their plans to interfere and dominate the region and think of a solution for the brain-death of their own security institutions.

Last month, Senior Iranian and Russian diplomats in a meeting in Moscow underlined the necessity for fighting terrorist groups and restoring tranquility to the Middle East region.

During the meeting in the Russian capital city, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi and his Russian counterpart Igor Morgolov discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

In October, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif lashed out at Washington for obstructing any initiative for forming an alliance of multiple countries pursuing common goals, warning that the US is seriously endangering multilateralism in the world.