Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hosted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for talks to review the West Asia crisis and to discuss a roadmap for better bilateral relations.
This is Pezeshkian's first visit to India as president, and his second meeting with Modi in less than two weeks after meeting at Bishkek on August 31 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
The two leaders discussed India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, urging that these contribute to lasting peace and stability in the region, safer maritime trade, and the safety and well-being of seafarers.
PM Modi also thanked Iran for its regular, high-level participation in BRICS-related meetings despite the challenging circumstances, as per a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.
Modi also struck a similar note in his earlier address in the Leaders' Session of the BRICS Business Forum, in which he called "India a staunch supporter of freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers", noting the impact of global headwinds on maritime trade.
The same event saw Pezeshkian thanking Modi for strengthening BRICS, backing India's push for the bloc's members trading in national currencies, adding that with the establishment of instruments for managing currency risks and reciprocal settlements, it would go a long way in further boosting ties among BRICS nations amid global instability.
He also spoke on the West Asia crisis, decrying harsh sanctions and "military aggression" by Israel and the US on Tehran, and its impact on BRICS members' economic resilience.
"This active aggression, in addition to human and material losses, once again revealed an important reality—economic security cannot be separated from national or regional security," he said at the event.
