This is with reference to the report “Iran apology meaningless unless it stops fanning terror in Gulf: Riyadh” (Jan. 23). Riyadh’s stance is justified. Issuing a statement condemning the attack on Saudi diplomatic missions is not enough. As a matter of fact, Iran got a lot of flak from the international community, which forced it to condemn this incident. Otherwise, the details of the attack clearly indicate that the Iranian authorities did nothing to prevent the incident.

Iranian approach in the region is counterproductive. Tehran does not want to live with its neighbors peacefully. It has problems with almost every country in the neighborhood. Media reports clearly indicate that Iran is fomenting unrest in the Muslim world. Tehran wants to establish its hegemony in the region. In today’s world such an approach is not only detrimental to world peace but also harms the interest of a country vying for such a position. With the advancements in technology, an era of cooperation and coexistence has dawned on mankind.

Our interests are interlinked and no country can survive in isolation. Growth in a vacuum is impossible. Instead of stoking sectarian unrest in the region, Iran should give priority to the welfare of its people, who have been paying the price for the wrong actions of their leaders.