Zarif: Common Global Strategy Needed to Combat Extremism

“Extremism is a global problem which needs a global solution,” Zarif said, speaking at the Oslo Forum in Norway, where the world’s most prominent armed conflict mediators and peace process activists are gathered.

“Anyone who uses extremism as an instrument or purpose will be the loser in the end. Everyone considers the fight against terrorism and extremism from their own perspective; the problem has not only a military or political or economic solution, but also intellectual and cultural solutions to figure out why extremism is so attractive to people,” Zarif noted.

Underlining the need to redefine international issues, Zarif said, “If we take a look at issues from a different point of view, we may get a different image which helps to solve the problem. The US thought Iran’s every centrifuge was a step to build a bomb; we were not convinced of their claims and wanted to exert our natural rights, therefore, the US was not eligible to decide for us.”

This led to the problem being wrongly defined, in a way which allowed for no solution; however, its true definition led to a peaceful solution, he explained.

He added that if someone wants to achieve supremacy by military means, the opposite side will do the same – both sides end up losers in pursuing military solution, one more so and the other less so.