Iranian Deputy FM Hopes for Settlement of Crisis in Ukraine

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi in a meeting with outgoing Ukrainian Ambassador to Tehran Alexander Samaraski expressed the hope that the crisis in the East European country would end soon.

"We hope that Ukraine and its people can go past the current hard conditions successfully by overcoming their present problems and relying on their national capacities as continued crisis harms the national interests of Ukraine and its people," Sarmadi said in the meeting in Tehran on Saturday.

He also underlined Iran's principled policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and it respect for their territorial integrity.

Samaraski, for his part, expressed the hope that the present trend of the expansion of the relations between Tehran and Kiev would continue and political developments would not influence their friendly and good ties.

A state coup took place in Ukraine of February 22, when erstwhile opposition, supported by violent protests in the streets of the capital Kiev, seized power, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and appointed elections for May 25. Moscow says doubts the legitimacy of the incumbent government and says its legitimacy will depend on the transparency of the political process in Ukraine and the respect for interests of regions.

The coup-imposed government launched a military operation in Ukraine's eastern and southeastern regions on April 15 with an aim to crush dissent among residents who refuse to recognize the legitimacy of central and regional authorities. Protesters want broader autonomy for their regions and demand to treat the linguistic and cultural peculiarities of their regions with respect.