President Pezeshkian urges regional cooperation to fight terrorism

Tehran, IRNA – President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed sympathy with the Indian government and people over a deadly terror attack near Pahalgam in southern Kashmir, stressing the need for regional cooperation to confront terrorism.

In a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evening, Pezeshkian said the Islamic Republic strongly condemns such terrorist and inhumane acts.

“These bitter incidents double the shared responsibility of all regional countries and require us to root out terrorism and ensure lasting peace and tranquility for our nations through empathy, solidarity, and close cooperation,” he said.

The president pointed to the precious legacy of India’s great leaders, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, expressing hope that their message of peace, friendship, and peaceful coexistence will continue to be the cornerstone of India’s relations with all countries.

In another part of the conversation, Pezeshkian expressed hope that bilateral cooperation will be further developed, saying that the Iranian port of Chabahar can be a strategic link between Iran, India and Russia.

“We hope that the implementation process of joint projects will be accelerated and that we will achieve tangible and effective results,” he said.

He also officially invited the Indian premier to visit Tehran to examine avenues for the expansion of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries “in a friendly and constructive atmosphere.”

Modi, for his part, expressed gratitude for Pezeshkian’s phone call and his message of sympathy, saying Iran can understand the suffering of the Indian people better than any other country due to its own sufferings.

He said he fully agreed with Pezeshkian’s view that the fight against terrorism requires unity and comprehensive cooperation of regional countries.

The Indian prime minister said relations between Iran and India are on a very good path and New Delhi is determined to strengthen these relations in all dimensions.

Modi said the Indian government supports the Islamic Republic’s efforts to strengthen regional and global stability and emphasizes the need for diplomatic resolution of disputes, including between Iran and the United States.

He also expressed deep sorrow over the Saturday explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran and announced his country’s readiness to provide assistance to the Islamic Republic of Iran.