The regime's anxiety over the proximity of the Persian Gulf countries with NATO

Iran Press News: Translation by Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi

AFTAB, the regime-run site in an article expressed anxiety over the proximity of the Persian Gulf countries with NATO: "The cooperation of NATO with countries in the region is on the one hand about the establishment of security which sounds alarm bells regarding the certain convoy of foreign forces into the Persian Gulf and on the other hand it exposes a development that has started taking shape from our neighbors in the south of Iran which contradict neighborly considerations."

"The Secretary General of the Persian Gulf Cooperative, after the session of the member countries of this assembly and the NATO member countries expressed his distress over the continued meddling of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraqi affairs and requested that NATO assist in safeguarding the area as well. He recognized the role of NATO as an element for confronting challenges and security issues of the region. He also stressed that the Persian Gulf Cooperative will give NATO the guarantee that with the permission of the U.N. Security Council, it will provide security for the region. The Secretary General made the excuse that connecting with major world powers is due to the threat being posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Persian Gulf Cooperative insists that the 'knot' that can be undone with diplomatic measures [amongst countries in the region] should be handled by interlopers. When the security of the region can be dealt with through regional efforts, what is the meaning of going to NATO?"