Iran's Rouhani calls for resolving regional disputes through dialogue

TEHRAN, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that countries in the region should recognize each other's interests and resolve disputes through dialogue.

"We believe that if there is a problem in the region, it can be solved through negotiation, and we do not need weapons and the intervention of world powers to resolve it," Rouhani was quoted by Press TV as saying.

All states, ethnic groups and cultures in the region must recognize the interests of each other, Rouhani said.

The Iranian president said that recent victories against the terror group Islamic State have "opened the way for the Middle East to move past conflicts."

"There is no way but moderation. Extremism and violence, whatever its name, and in any country, will only result in destruction and annihilation," Rouhani said.

Moderation is the way which leads the region to constructive engagement with mutual respect, he added. Enditem