DUSHANBE, March 9, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in Dushanbe on Thursday that West has attempted to destroy the identity of other nations seriously, Iran’s news agency IRNA reports.

Addressing a gathering of Tajik elites in Tajikistan’s Academy of Science, he added that one of the achievements of thinking and intellect is culture and civilization.

Underlining the role of thinking in build-up of culture and civilization, he said that one of the elements of culture and civilization is language.

“Persian, Tajik, Pashto and Pahlavi languages are a tree with various branches has managed to link a set of tribes, all of which build up our culture and civilization,” he said.

He said, “The former Soviet Union managed to destroy your identity by changing your language and that identity elimination begins by destroying mother tongue.”

West has mobilized all its power and facilities to eliminate the culture of other nations one after the other, he said.

The foreign minister said that the nations have no problem with each other but the governments ruling their destiny create obstacles and mount pressure on the nations.

Pointing to various problems emanating from the policies imposed on the nations, he said, “We are optimistic about the future because the nations are getting well-informed day by day and this awareness will link the nations and reduce the role of the governments.”