For the first time, the Islamic Republic of Iran participated in a meeting of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in La Maddalena, Italy.

According to Tehran Times, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs Ali Ahani, who represents the Islamic Republic and is scheduled to deliver a speech and hold talks with a number of participants at the gathering, which brought together representatives from 25 countries.

The meeting will focus on the situation in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf region, transition of power in certain Arab countries, the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region, the situation in Iraq, and NATO’s operations in the Mediterranean.

The NATO PA Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) provides a forum for parliamentarians from NATO countries and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to discuss political and security issues and to enhance cooperation. As one of the first institutions to engage with the region, the NATO PA started a dialogue with MENA countries in the early 1990s. As a formal mechanism to address regional challenges, the GSM was launched in 1996.