NAM summit in Tehran proves 'failure' of US sanctions: Iran

Iran has hit out at the US, saying the holding of the 16th NAM Summit in Tehran proves the "failure" of America's "threat and sanction" policy against the oil-rich country.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian said the anti-Iran policies of the US-led Western nations are doomed for failure.

Amirabdollahian described the presence of heads of states and high ranking delegations of NAM member countries in Tehran as important "under such critical conditions arising from developments in the Middle East and North Africa and its coincidence with Islamic awakening movement" in the region.

"The threat and sanction policy [of the US] has failed despite pressures exerted on Iran by the US and some other countries," the official IRNA news agency quoted Amirabdollahian as saying.

He also said Iran's hosting of the summit would improve its position in the international fora while the US and European Union are facing severe financial crisis. During the summit, Iran will take over the NAM rotating presidency from Egypt for the next three years.

While Western countries have tried to downplay Iran holding the summit, Tehran sees it as a major diplomatic win. US and other western countries have accused Iran of following a secretive nuclear weapons programme even though Tehran vehemently denies it. US feels that Tehran will use the opportunity of hosting the 120-nation group's summit for furthering its propaganda and had behind the curtains asked many countries to skip the event. US had even publicly asked UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon to not to attend the summit but taking everyone by surprise, he has decided to go ahead.

Besides Iran, US and Western countries are also looking at NAM stage being used to secure support for the current Syrian regime lewd by Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's Prime Minister Wael Nader al-Halqi is likely to attend the Summit and he may meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India has opposed US line on nature of international intervention in Syria in the United Nations. India has been opposing an externally induced regime change in Syria.

"We would like to see a Syrian-led, inclusive process for reform and change in Syria to bring an end to the current conflict. We believe the international community’s role should be to assist that Syrian-led process and the UN has a particular role to play," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had recently said.

Syria will be one main issues to be flagged at the Summit. Tehran is an open supporter of the al-Assad.