President.ir - Addressing the 5th�Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on Saturday in Dushanbe, President Hassan Rouhani said, �Within the same framework, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers cooperation with regional countries and using the mechanism of multilateral dialogues within the framework of CICA summits very effective, fruitful and essential�.

The full text of President Hassan Rouhani�s speech is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Mr Chairman,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to thank the government of Tajikistan and His Excellency Mr Rahmon, for hosting this important meeting, as well as the Chinese government for hosting the previous summit during its presidency. I am confident that the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), during the new presidency, will continue to promote dialogue and cooperation among member states in order to realise the goals of the conference, and strengthen its role in the peace and stability of the region and the world.

Dear Participants,

Undoubtedly, holding the CICA Summit in Dushanbe provides a perfect opportunity for consultation and discussion, given the current situation in the region and the wide range of topics, opportunities, challenges and threats. Now, Asia, which enjoys the legacy of great civilisations and huge achievements in the field of reasoning and interaction, is facing a huge challenge. From the easternmost parts of Asia to its westernmost regions, there has been cultural interaction and commerce for hundreds of years through the Silk Road on the earth and the sea, in a way that even today, this valuable experience can be the basis of better and more constructive relations between countries. In addition, the existence and continuity of philosophical, religious, and scientific ideas among the people who lived in past ages and the ancient world provides us with an enormous amount of capital to face upcoming challenges properly.

In other words, the capital that we inherited is enough to create a world free of discrimination, terrorism, monopolism, bullying and injustice. The present assembly can certainly inspire and influence not only Asia, but also the entire world, under the wisdom of its leaders and peoples by taking advantage of this ancient heritage.

Dear Participants,

By taking advantage of this precious heritage, the Islamic Republic of Iran is looking for the values ??that Your Excellencies have seen during the last four decades in our foreign policy, including the fight against terrorism and extremism, which present a harsh and violent image of Islam, sheltering innocent people who have been grappling with war and its resulting disasters, fighting unilateralism by which a country tries to dominate others with material power and the use of force, explicit opposition to the production of any weapons of mass destruction from nuclear to chemical, and ultimately, constructive interaction with all countries that believe in these values.

It is on this basis that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a key player in the region, has repeatedly expressed its willingness to draft and approve bilateral and multilateral political and security mechanisms to ensure peace and security, and has welcomed any interaction and exchange of opinions with CICA member states on ways to approach the challenges and cope with existing threats.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The interference of some foreign powers in the internal affairs of the countries of the Middle East region, forceful unilateral policies, terrorism and extremism, their blatant breach of promises and lawlessness in matters related to international peace and security, including the important nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have made our region one of the world's most instable regions.

Regarding the JCPOA, I would like to remind you that the full compliance of Iran to its obligations has repeatedly been approved by the IAEA and, despite the withdrawal of the United States, the resumption of its unilateral, illegal sanctions and the negligible support of the other parties to the agreement, we still believe that the fulfilment of the agreed-upon commitments by all relevant parties will play an important role in increasing regional and global stability.

It is obvious that Iran cannot unilaterally remain committed to the JCPOA, and it is necessary that the other countries contribute to the survival of this important agreement. Now that our utmost goodwill and strategic tolerance on the one hand, and the United States� lawlessness on the other hand have been proved to everyone, the Islamic Republic of Iran, while announcing its readiness for any interaction, has decided to reduce its obligations under Paragraphs 26 and 36 of the JCPOA to restore balance. In case of the absence of proper response, we will inevitably have to take more measures.

To be updated...