In a meeting with visiting Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić on Monday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani drew a comparison between the crisis in the Balkans in the early 90s and the current developments in the Middle East, saying both cases were the results of “intervention by outside elements” that do not want to have peace return to the region.

Criticizing the US and its allies for their lack of serious efforts in dealing with ISIL terrorist group, Larijani said “it seems that the US is playing with the ISIL pawn in the region to advance its own interests and their lack of serious measures in countering this scourge has enabled ISIL to commit more crimes in the region.”

The Serbian foreign minister, for his part, criticized some major powers for meddling in various parts of the world including the Balkans, saying “attempts at fueling discord among ethnic and religious groups with the aim to disintegrate big countries is a wrong policy that will further spread instability in the world.”

Dačić also slammed the international community’s double standards in dealing with global issues such as the fight against terrorism, saying the policy has actually aggravated violence.

Moreover, the two officials called for further cooperation in various fields such as politics, economy, industry and science.

The Serbian diplomat also announced the two countries will hold a Joint Economic Commision in near future.