The visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met the Grand Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Thursday, May 12.
Speaking at the meeting, the Leader referred to the spirit of understanding and cooperation prevailing in the relations between the two countries and stressed that the bilateral ties between Iran and Malaysia should be further expanded in various areas.
Considering that Malaysia currently chairs the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that the Muslim nations and governments, which are facing certain hegemonic policies under the present circumstances, would like the OIC to play a more active role. He noted that the OIC has many potentials and levers of influence at its disposal.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic considered unity and strength as the only way to counter the hegemony and bullying of the arrogant powers. He also hinted at the fact that NAM holds sixty percent of the seats in the UN General Assembly, and that it is capable of playing an influential role in international affairs.
"Under the present circumstances that the world's powers, including the United States, are seeking to bring certain changes to the United Nations to promote their own interests, one of the major duties of the NAM member states is to take concrete measures to counteract these efforts," he told the Malaysian prime minister.
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his appreciation for the proper stance taken by Malaysia and the Non-Aligned Movement on the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities.
"We are basically opposed to the production of nuclear weapons. But the main concern of the United States and some other Western countries with respect to Iran is that they do not want to lose their monopoly on advanced nuclear technology; they do not want other countries to avail themselves of this important branch of knowledge and capability," he pointed out.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic also referred to the ongoing negotiations between Iran and three European countries and underlined the lack of full compliance of those European states with their commitments.
"Western countries have, over many years, become accustomed to intimidating the weak or developing states and imposing their demands on these countries. But they should try to kick their habit with regard to the Islamic Republic," the Leader told the Malaysian prime minister.
The Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, for his part, expressed pleasure over his trip to the Islamic Republic and emphasized the need to further expand Iran-Malaysia relations.
He noted that the commercial ties between the two countries grew by 41 percent last year compared with the previous year, and that the two sides are negotiating about promoting their cooperation in the areas of agriculture, biotechnology, oil and gas.
Badawi stressed the necessity for the further utilization of the potentials and capabilities possessed by the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement. He stated that NAM is able to increase its efficiency under the present circumstances, and that the Non-Aligned Movement wants the United Nations to pay greater attention to the movement's stance toward changes in the UN.
Further in his remarks, the Malaysian prime minister emphasized the right of all countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. He told the Leader of the Islamic Republic that his country and the Non-Aligned Movement have always supported Iran's stance on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.