“Foreign forces can cause problems and insecurity for our people and for our region,” Rouhani said in a televised speech at an annual military parade, adding that Iran would present to the UN a regional cooperation plan for peace.
Tensions escalated between arch-foes Iran and the United States after devastating September 14 attacks on Saudi oil installations that Washington and Riyadh have blamed on Tehran.
Following the attacks, the United States announced on Friday that it was sending reinforcements to Saudi Arabia at “the kingdom’s request”.
In his speech on Sunday, Rouhani called on the foreign powers in the Gulf region to “stay away”.
“If they’re sincere, then they should not make our region the site of an arms race,” he said.
“Your presence has always brought pain and misery for the region. The farther you keep yourselves from our region and our nations, the more security there will be for our region.”
Rouhani said Iran will present a plan for securing the Gulf with the help of other countries in the region to the United Nations in the coming days.
“In this sensitive and important historical moment, we announce to our neighbours, that we extend the hand of friendship and brotherhood to them,” he said.
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