Manama: Tunisia has rejected an Iranian report claiming that President Beji Qaid Al Sebsi stated that Iran was “the sole hope for struggle against Israel and that Tunisia hopes that the Islamic and Arab world stand by Iran in this regard.”
“The meeting between President Beji Qaid Al Sebsi and Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi Amiri covered relations and cooperation between the two countries,” Ridha Bouguezzi, the spokesperson for the president, told the Tunisian news agency TAP on Saturday. “The talks also focused on the significance for Iran to benefit from the lifting of the international sanctions imposed on it for decades to interact positively with its regional surrounding, improve its relations with its neighbours and favour dialogue in order to contribute to the peaceful settlement of conflicts, especially in Syria and Yemen. The goals should be to help re-establish peace and stability in the region in order to confront challenges, particularly the fight against extremism and terrorism.”
Amiri who was received by Al Sebsi on Friday was in Tunisia to attend the 33rd International Book Fair held in the capital Tunis from March 24 to April 2, and the fifth edition of the Iranian Film Days.
In its report, the Islamic Republic News Agency (Irna) claimed that “President Al Sebsi said Iran is a big country with a rich cultural heritage, so it should play its role in the region.”
“He stressed that unfortunately the Zionist regime and its supporters are trying to isolate Iran, but, thanks [sic] God Iran has returned successfully to the politics of the region. President Al Sebsi said that Iran is the sole hope for struggle against Israel and Tunisia hopes that the Islamic and Arab world to stand by Iran in this regard
