Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday (Octobe 22) on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, marking their first meeting since Pezeshkian assumed office in July.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi and President Pezeshkian discussed the situation in West Asia.
Focus on West Asia
President Pezeshkian spoke about the need for peace and harmony in the region and the role that India could play in de-escalating the conflict given its good relations with all the parties involved.
India not only has friendly relations with both Israel and Iran (which backs terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas), but also supports the two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
For his part, PM Modi shared his concern over the escalating conflict and repeated India’s call for the protection of civilians and prevention of harm to civilians, pointing out the need for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions.
India had said this in April this year, and then again earlier this month.
“President Pezeshkian acknowledged in particular the role that India played in Iran’s accession to both the SCO and Brics, and both leaders agreed to continue their cooperation within various multilateral platforms, including Brics and SCO,” Misri said.
Discussion on Afghanistan
Afghanistan was another key topic of discussion between the leaders. Both of them highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region along with continuing humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The 16th Brics Summit is being hosted in Kazan. Modi’s visit to Russia marks his second trip this year and his seventh in the past decade.
With inputs from agencies
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Iran’s Pezeshkian meets PM Modi in Russia, stresses India’s role in de-escalation in West Asia
