Foreign Policy
Rouhani: Foreign Military in Region Threatening Energy Security, Peace
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that foreign military presence in the Middle East has put energy security and peace in serious danger, adding that trans-regional forces should leave the region if they are honestly concerned about security.
“The presence of foreign forces can be dangerous for the region, international waters, as well as the security of shipping lines and energy, but our path is to create unity and coordination with regional countries," President Rouhani said this morning, addressing the massive military parade in Tehran which along with parades across the nation mark the start of the Sacred Defense Week.
Calling upon those who claim to be worried about security in the Middle East, Rouhani said, “If they are telling the truth, they’d better not turn the region into a stage of arms race … if they are after [establishing] security, they’d better get out of the region.”
He went on to say that the attempts by those who try to pin the blame for regional incidents on the Islamic Republic are “just like all of their exposed lies.”
Washington and Riyadh rushed to blame Tehran for an attack led by Yemeni Armed Forces against Saudi Arabia's oil facilities on last Saturday.
The attack effectively halved the kingdom's oil production.
Rouhani went on criticizing Washington for its destructive role in the region, saying, wherever Americans have set foot, they increased insecurity, as it was proved in cases of Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Iranian president noted that he is going to present an initiative in the UN General Assembly this week which will guarantee the security of the Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait with the cooperation of regional states.
Early on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to Riyadh’s attacks against al Hudaydah port in retaliation for last week operation of the Yemenis against the kingdom’s oil installations as a clear sign that even Saudi Arabia itself does not believe in its self-concocted fiction of Tehran’s involvement in the attacks.
“Since the Saudi regime has blamed Iran—baseless as that is—for the attacks on its oil facilities, curious that they retaliated against Hodaideh in Yemen today—breaking a UN ceasefire,” Zarif tweeted early on Saturday.
“It is clear that even the Saudis themselves don't believe the fiction of Iranian involvement,” the Iranian diplomatic chief underlined.
Yesterday, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said if the goal is peace and security, then foreign powers should "get out of the region" as their presence could cause an arms race. He also announced a new security initiative for the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to be unveiled at the United Nations General Assembly later this week.

Rouhani delivering the speech 
Rouhani was speaking at the opening of , an annual commemoration of the eight-year , which features military parades. "The presence of foreign forces can be dangerous for the region, international waters, as well as the security of shipping lines and energy, but our path is to create unity and coordination with regional countries," he said. "Those who want to link the region’s incidents to the Islamic Republic of Iran are lying like their past lies that have been revealed ... If they are truthful and really seek security in the region, they must not send weapons, fighter jets, bombs and dangerous arms to the region."

"Your presence has always been a calamity for this region and the farther you go from our region and our nations, the more security would come for our region", he continued in the speech which was delivered in Tehran, the capital. Rouhani's new security plan would be led by Iran and feature support from regional countries in securing the waterways in the region. According to the Associated Press, Iran has increased cooperation in the last few years with the navies of China, India, Oman, Pakistan, and Russia.

The speech came approximately one week after an attack on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia which halved Saudi oil output. The attack was claimed by the  in Yemen, but both Saudi Arabia and the United States have alleged Iranian involvement. The initial reports were of drone attacks, but the Saudi government said the attack included  which could not have originated in Yemen.

The United States was more forceful in blaming Iran for the attack, committing to send more troops to Saudi Arabia. Recently, the United States announced a naval coalition to patrol the Persian Gulf which was joined by Australia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

The annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly is set to open tomorrow.