Tehran, Aug 11, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani strongly criticized the western countries for supporting terrorist groups in the region, and said that Iran has always been a victim of terrorism.

“The incident of Mazar-i-Sharif was another proof that Iranian people and officials have been victims of terrorism,” President Rouhani said, in a meeting with families of martyred Iranian diplomats and IRNA journalist in Tehran on Tuesday.

President Rouhani asked the world states to join efforts to fight and uproot terrorism.

'Terrorism and insecurity is an epidemic disease which doesn’t belong to a special region, and efforts should be made to encounter extremism and violence to prevent its spread and we shouldn’t allow any innocent person, regardless of his/her nationality and religion, to become a victim of the terrorist groups,' the Iranian president said.

Stressing that after striking a nuclear agreement with the world powers, Iran now feels the heavy responsibility of establishment of peace and stability in the region, he said, 'To achieve this important goal, it is necessary to uproot terrorism through collective cooperation.'

'The countries' political and economic interests and creation of mental tranquility both depend on this universal determination,' Rouhani added.

By IRNA