Iran has said that Saturday's remarks by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was interference in internal affairs of regional countries.
"Such remarks, made by Gates at a global security conference in Manama, Bahrain, targeted solidarity among regional countries," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini told reporters Sunday.
Iran has said that Saturday's remarks by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was interference in internal affairs of regional countries.
"Such remarks, made by Gates at a global security conference in Manama, Bahrain, targeted solidarity among regional countries," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini told reporters Sunday.
The spokesman, however, stressed that efforts to foment discord among regional states have been futile.
He noted that Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was also scheduled to take part at the Manama conference but the plan was canceled because of Mottaki's heavy work agenda in Tehran.
Asked about recent talks between Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, the spokesman responded, "Iran has a principled stance on different issues including its peaceful nuclear case, which has also been stressed in talks between Jalili and Solana."
Hosseini dismissed claims that quote Jalili as saying he is not committed to promises made between former SNSC Secretary Ali Larijani and Solana, saying, "It was the opposite side [Solana] who expressed explicit opposition to ideas raised during previous sessions."
He went on, "We continue to give emphasis to negotiations and are ready to hold talks about various topics agreed to by both sides, including the nuclear case."
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