Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s Leader of the Islamic Revolution for international affairs, has stressed that Iran’s strategic position makes it an indispensable player in shaping the emerging regional order, warning that lasting stability in West Asia can only be achieved through collective security.

"In a post on social media, Velayati said that as discussions over a new regional order intensify, Iran’s geographical and strategic importance cannot be overlooked.

“Iran is a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Sea of Oman. Any energy or transit corridor seeking to bypass us will either be costly or unstable,” he wrote.

Velayati said the succession of crises across the region, stretching from Gaza to the Red Sea and from Lebanon to Iraq, had demonstrated that the security of regional countries was closely interconnected.

“The domino effect of crises, from Gaza to the Red Sea and from Lebanon to Iraq, has shown that regional security is indivisible. Either collective security will be achieved, or everyone will experience collective insecurity,” he warned.

He also pointed to sweeping geopolitical changes in West Asia, arguing that their impact had extended beyond the region and reached political developments in Israel and the United States.

“The tsunami of geopolitical changes in West Asia has engulfed the elections in Israel and the United States,” Velayati said, adding that Iran had emerged as one of the principal architects of the regional order.

“Iran is now one of the principal architects of the regional order — a reality that can neither be eliminated nor replaced,” he underlined.

Velayati's remarks underscore Tehran's position that any sustainable regional security framework must recognise Iran's strategic influence and address the interconnected challenges facing West Asia. (ILKHA)