A senior Iranian official says the denial of realities and disregard for the facts are the main problems facing Western countries in the Middle East.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Ahani made the remarks during a meeting with Niklas Swanstrom, the director of the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), in Tehran on Monday.

Ahani said institutions like the ISDP can help decision-making centers make the right decisions through 'precise analysis of the situation' in the region.

Swanstrom said the image depicted of some countries in the West does not reflect the realities on the ground.

Thus, efforts should be made to prevent misunderstandings and promote understanding through the expression of realities, he added.

Swanstrom is in Tehran to attend a meeting at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), which is affiliated to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

DB/HGL