'Hands of friendship': Iran president calls for new regional security structure among Muslim nations

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday called for a “united front” of Muslim nations, extending “hands of friendship” for a new regional security structure. The Iranian president made the remarks during a one-day official visit to Pakistan, undertaken at PM Shehbaz’s invitation. The two leaders held a meeting at the Prime Minister House, which was followed by delegation-level talks. Addressing a joint press conference later with the prime minister, Pezeshkian said he held “constructive meetings and discussions” with PM Shehbaz, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. “In these discussions, we had many good points talks and discussed regarding the latest developments in the region and in the world and also regarding bilateral relations,” he elaborated. Pezeshkian observed that the two neighbours were “adamant to use the positive existing atmosphere to usher in a new era and open a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the two countries and draw new horizons and new opportunities of cooperation based on shared interests”. He said Iran believed that “peace, stability, sustainable security, development and the welfare of nations in the strategic region of West Asia and the Persian Gulf can only be ensured through straightforward and honest discussions, intra-regional cooperation, interactions and cooperation based on mutual respect for the countries in the region”. “Based on this fact, we stretch our hands of friendship to establish a common understanding and build a new security structure for the countries in the region,” Pezeshkian added. He noted that PM Shehbaz’s mention of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in his remarks alongside him was a “very well-placed mentioning of the roles that these authorities and these leaders actually played in the discussions that led to the peace”. “I believe Muslims shall form a united front against their enemies,” the Iranian president said.