New Delhi: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday.
Pezeshkian arrived in the national capital on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. He was warmly received at the airport by Union Minister of State (MoS) Shantanu Thakur.
Extending a warm welcome to the Iranian President, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took to X and posted: “India and Iran share civilizational ties, marked by robust cultural and people-to-people bonds. As BRICS partners, the two countries are working to contribute to shared progress and prosperity.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Pezeshkian, underscoring the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in West Asia.
During their discussions, held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, PM Modi also pressed on safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce and the safety and well-being of seafarers.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders in under two weeks. They had met earlier on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 31.
As the two leaders discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship, Prime Minister Modi also thanked Iran for its regular, high-level participation in BRICS-related meetings despite the “challenging circumstances”.
He noted the potential for BRICS in building the spirit of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability among countries in the Global South.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), PM Modi also thanked President Pezeshkian for his participation in the Leaders’ Session of the BRICS Business Forum.
“The two leaders exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Prime Minister reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also underscored the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce, and the safety and well-being of seafarers,” read a statement issued by the MEA after the meeting.
“Prime Minister appreciated the continued cooperation between the two sides on issues of mutual interest in multilateral organizations, including BRICS,” it added.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday (September 12-13), bringing together leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees.
India’s BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme: ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of “Humanity First”, according to the statement released by the MEA.
(IANS)
