Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a Tuesday phone conversation with his French counterpart Francois Hollande reaffirmed Tehran’s preparedness to join hands with the international community, particularly France, in the global fight against terrorism.
Rouhani in this conversation referred to the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, which claimed at least 132 lives, and stressed the necessity for integrated fight against terrorism.
“Terrorists will never manage to achieve their goals when faced with the wills of all nations and governments,” the Iranian president said, reiterating that all countries should join hands and develop joint plans to eradicate terrorism.
Iran calls for a united front at the global level to combat terrorism, he stressed.
Rouhani added that Tehran is ready to have security and intelligence cooperation with Paris in its fight against terrorism, stressing that as a nation familiar with the disastrous consequences of terrorism, the Islamic Republic is prepared to “take any action against terrorists in any part of the world.”
He also referred to the spread of Islamophobia throughout the world as one of the goals pursued by the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, and said that Islam is a religion of peace and is against any act of terrorism.
Hollande, for his part, referred to the Paris attacks as an aggression on the entire world, and urged global unity and coordination in the ongoing fight against Daesh in Syria and Iraq.
He also voiced France’s readiness to expand its ties with Iran in all areas, saying that Paris is still waiting for Rouhani’s trip, and expressed the hope that he would visit the European country as soon as possible.
Rouhani called off his planned official visits to France and Italy after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday evening.
The coordinated attacks in and around the French capital left at least 132 people dead and some 200 others injured.
A few hours after the attacks, Rouhani sent a message to Hollande and expressed deep condolences on the deaths of innocent Parisians.
“On behalf of the great Iranian nation, itself a victim of the ominous phenomenon of terrorism, I strongly condemn such inhumane crimes and express condolences to the French nation and government,” President Rouhani said at the time.
He noted that the most remarkable message for the world after such attacks would be “more serious determination for concerted fight against terrorist groups.”