Iran Review- Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi, the president of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, visited the 30th edition of Tehran International Book Fair on Sunday, May 7, 2017.

During his tour of the book fair, Kharrazi also attended a ceremony held to unveil the latest published works of Abrar Moaser Tehran International Studies and Research Institute and, for the first time following the conclusion of the first Tehran Security Conference in 2016, explained the main subject and topics to be discussed during the second edition of Tehran Security Conference, which is expected to be held in December 2017. During the ceremony, which was also attended by Jamal Shafi�i, the chair of Tehran Security Conference; Seyyed Jalal Dehqani Firouzabadi, head of the conference�s permanent secretariat; and a number of university teachers and researchers, 15 new books recently published by the Institute, including two books published as a shared project by the Institute and the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations were unveiled.

Before the address by Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi, Seyyed Jalal Dehqani Firouzabadi took podium and while pointing to publication of four volumes containing papers presented in the first Tehran Security Conference in 2016, explained achievements of the conference and plans made for holding its second edition later this year.

Then, Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi, as a participant at the first Tehran Security Conference, addressed the audience noting that holding of the conference was the result of an initiative by Iran to facilitate understanding of regional issues. Confirming the remarks made by Dehqani Firouzabadi, he added that increasing synergism was a requirement for holding the conference.

The president of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations then stated, �Holding such conferences will make it possible for university teachers and experts in important fields to express their viewpoints and scientific opinions.�

Referring to the existing conditions in West Asia region and the crises that are ongoing in the region, Kharrazi said, �This conference paves the way for experts and specialists in this field to come together and share their viewpoints in order to be able to find solutions for these crises.�

Elsewhere in his remarks, the president of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations mentioned inefficiency of the state institution in some regional countries as another important problem facing West Asia region. He added, �By relying on religious democracy in Iran, we managed to meet our people�s demands. However, in most regional countries, governments have not been able to meet the most basic of their people�s demands. On the other hand, people in those countries have not had necessary means to play a role in running the affairs of themselves and their countries. Governments have been unaccountable and inefficient and this inefficiency of governments has fostered a general sense of hatred and loathing a result of which is the rise of extremism.�

He also emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought to establish security and stability in the region.

Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi continued his remarks by lauding the measure taken to hold the first Tehran Security Conference before explaining about the main subject and topics of the 2nd Tehran Security Conference, which is to be held later in 2017.