IRNA - The Russian foreign minister on Saturday criticized the West's discriminatory approach to Iran's interests in the Middle East.


Responding to questions raised by reporters at the end of his lecture at the Munich Security Conference, Sergey Lavrov underlined the need for paying attention to the interests of Iran like other countries of the region.

Sowing discord between Sunni and Shia majority countries of the region or dividing countries into friendly or unfriendly ones was a deadly and dangerous approach, the Russian foreign minister said.

He said fanning the flame of discord in the Middle East region is not a solution to problems and only makes conditions more dangerous.

All should admit that Middle Eastern countries have legal rights and their differences should be settled through collective efforts of the international community.

Over the past five decades the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has become a key annual gathering for the international 'strategic community.' Since its foundation in 1963 as 'Internationale Wehrkunde-Begegnung,' the MSC has been an independent forum dedicated to promoting peaceful conflict resolution and international cooperation and dialogue in dealing with today�s and future security challenges. It has especially focused on the transatlantic partnership.

This year's conference has focused on such topics as the future of the European Union a major player on the international scene and its relationship with Russia and the United States. It also reviews conflicts in the Middle East, deteriorating relations among Persian Gulf Arab states and political developments in Africa.