Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the U.S. and other world powers Wednesday of creating an "unfair" economic order which has triggered the global financial crisis.
In an opening speech at a summit of the regional Economic Cooperation Organization, or ECO, in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said: "the United States and some of its allies are at the center of the economic crisis."
"Capitalism as a system has failed. The economic order is unfair and irresponsible. Unfortunately nations of the world have to pay the cost of inefficient policies of certain nations."
Ahmadinejad, known for his anti-U.S. tirades, said: "The threat of unfair international order can be changed to create a safe economic situation for our countries" by developing trade between ECO member states.
He also called for setting up a common bank of ECO members that can help boost commerce among the members.
The summit of ECO - a regional organization founded in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey - aims to focus on the global financial crisis and its impact on the region.
It is being attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari and Turkish President Abdullah Gul, along with leaders of other members such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Syrian Vice President Faruq al-Shara also attended as honorary guests.
Karzai, in his address at the summit, strongly urged ECO members to help Kabul fight drug smuggling.
"I have to accept the bitter truth that my country is the center of opium production," Karzai said.
"The people of Afghanistan are the true victims of terrorism and there is a direct link between drug smuggling and terrorism. We want the (ECO) members to help us in combating them," he said, adding that Iran has already been doing so.
Iran is suffering badly from the effects of opium production in Afghanistan, with easily available heroin fueling a rise in drug use. Indeed, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed to that last week when she said Iran would be invited to a global meeting on Afghanistan to be held on March 31.
Shiite Iran, which has close ethnic and religious ties with Afghanistan, has also opposed the Taliban, comprised of Sunni Muslim extremists and backed by Pakistan until the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S.
Karzai said efforts are being made to "boost ties among members states" of ECO but urged additional cooperation with other Asian countries.
Karzai is expected to push Iran to attend the conference aimed at helping world powers in restoring stability in his violence-wracked country.
Zardari also urged ECO members to help Afghanistan fight terrorism.
"The ECO has a special responsibility towards Afghanistan. Let us give our efforts a strong impetus" in this direction, he said, adding that Islamabad was itself "building a deep relation of trust and understanding" with Kabul.
Turkey's Gul, meanwhile, called for "lowering custom tariffs" between ECO member in a bid to liberalize cross-border trade.