Iran's president-elect vows to pursue active foreign policy

Iran's President-elect Hassan Rouhani underlined that his government will pursue an interactive and constructive foreign policy with the outside world. "In foreign policy moderate means neither passiveness nor confrontation, rather it means effective and constructive interaction with the world," Rouhani said, addressing a meeting in Tehran on Saturday. "In foreign policy moderate means idealism accompanied by realism and self-belief relying on national power as well as effective and constructive interaction with the world, but interaction and talks should take place on an equal position," he added. Noting that interaction with other countries should be made with mutual respect, attention and interests, Rouhani said these should be accompanied by détente in order to prevent confrontation. He called Iran as a great regional country, and said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran as a great or the greatest regional power at the present juncture should play its role correctly and this needs moderateness." Rouhani warned that enemies want to show Iran as a police state in the world, and called on all Iranians to try to foil enemies' plots through prudence and planning. In relevant remarks earlier this month, Rouhani underlined the need for the enhancement of Iran's ties with the neighboring and Muslim countries during his presidency. He made the call in separate messages to Amir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Saba and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Wednesday responding to their earlier messages felicitating him on his victory in the June 14 election. In his message to the Kuwaiti emir, Rouhani said, “The friendly country of Kuwait has always had a special place in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policy and this trend will continue.” In his message to the Algerian president, the Iranian president-elect said, “We hope that we will witness consolidation and development of the friendly ties between the two nations in line with (their) common interests and through mutual efforts of both countries.”