The Leader: Tehran, Seoul must resist US malice in ties

Ayatollah Khamenei receives South Korea’s president and her accompanying delegation.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting on Monday with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, highlighted the Islamic Republic of Iran’s positive view to enhancing cooperation with Asian countries. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said “persistent and sustainable communications between Iran and South Korea” were helpful for both countries, noting: “The memoranda of understanding and contracts should be struck between the two countries such that foreign factors and sanctions could not negatively affect them because the relations between countries like Iran and South Korea do not merit being influenced by the US willpower.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said cooperation and exchange of experience in different scientific, technological, political, social and security domains will be in the interests of both countries, adding: “In our foreign policy we are more inclined to Asia due to cultural and historical commonalities and on this same basis, we believe that there is a greater prospect for understanding, agreement and cooperation with these [Asian] countries including South Korea which is among the advanced Asian countries.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also highlighted security challenges prevailing in the Middle East region and the world, saying: “If terrorism and insecurity are not tackled realistically and properly, countering them will become more difficult in the future and no country will be immune to this danger.”
Referring to the US officials’ classification of terrorism under “good” and “evil” categories, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “The US is chanting the slogan of combating terrorism, but it does not behave sincerely in practice while terrorism in any form is evil and is dangerous to nations and security of countries because without security, favorable progress will not take place.”
Regarding cooperation and agreements between the two countries, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the priority of bilateral cooperation, adding: “Formation of helpful cooperation between Iran and South Korea is possible, but our priorities in cooperation are not trade and transactions. Rather, contracts must be signed which are needed by Iran in its infrastructure and public economy.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said a basic requirement for cooperation between the two countries was that the memoranda and agreements would not be affected by foreign factors, noting: “The relations between Iran and South Korea must not hinge upon sanctions and must not be affected by the US influence and malice, rather the communications between the two countries must be continuous, sustainable, strong and cordial’.”
Referring to the quite long history of relations between the two countries despite ups and downs, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Fortunately, the South Korean government is a cooperative government and Iran also enjoys abundant potentialities like young, talented and educated manpower for enhancing sustainable cooperation.”
In this meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye described her visit to Tehran as a valuable opportunity for the development of bilateral relations and boosting mutual confidence. She said: “During years of sanctions we also tried to continue our presence in Iran as long as we could.”
The South Korean president said Iran is endowed with effective and efficacious human resources and an exceptional geographical position, adding: “We hope that relations between the two countries will improve particularly in the economic sector in the future.”
Mrs. Park Geun-Hye also referred to Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks about economic development in Iran and his insistence on scientific, economic and industrial development based on self-sufficiency, saying: “I am certain that your insistence on economic development and growth of Iran heralds a very good future for your country and we are also ready to enhance cooperation in different sectors like the environment, science and technology, and economy.”

the office of the Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei