MOSCOW, November 11. /TASS/. Western countries view terrorism as a way to secure their own dominance on the global stage, said Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for New Challenges and Threats Pyotr Ilyichev.

"The surge in global terrorism has been largely provoked by Western interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states overall, starting from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. The effectiveness of international counter-terrorism efforts is hindered by politicization of the anti-terrorism agenda by certain countries, as well as the application of double standards. They do not view terrorism as an absolute evil, nor do they adhere to a zero-tolerance policy toward it. For them, it is an instrument for pursuing a neocolonial agenda and securing their own dominance," he said at the international collective security forum.

"The tactic of destabilizing the situation in various countries through the use of proxy terrorists, keeping regional hotbeds of instability simmering, and imposing a military presence for the purpose of exploiting natural resources and other forms of wealth under the guise of carrying out counter-terrorism objectives, is frequently employed," the diplomat noted.