US supports regional terrorism: Larijani

Istanbul, May 11, IRNA – Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Monday that the US directly supports terrorism in the region.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza on the sidelines of the urgent meeting of the executive committee of Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in the Turkish capital.

He added that the investigation into the arrest of the terrorist ring leader Abdolmalek Rigi proved the US support for terrorism in the region.

Condemning Washington’s double standard policy, Larijani said examples of such an approach are seen in Iraq and Afghanistan in support for Taliban and other terrorist groups.

On Tehran-Islamabad relations, he voiced the Islamic Republic’s readiness to further boost bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring states.

Underlining the need for consolidation of all-out ties among Muslim nations, the Iranian speaker said the regional cooperation can play a useful and effective role in resolving existing problems.

He added that Tehran and Islamabad can help solve regional problems through expansion of all-out cooperation.

For his part, the Pakistani speaker welcomed promotion of economic relations between the two states.

He expressed hope that the ongoing OIC meeting would help resolve Palestinian problems.

Larijani, heading a parliamentary delegation, arrived in Turkey Sunday to attend an OIC parliamentary meeting.

The meeting focuses on the consequences new Jewish settlement construction in the holy Qods by the Zionist regime.

Parliament speakers from Turkey, Indonesia, Syria, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Cameroon and Burkina Faso are attending the three-day OIC parliamentary meeting./end