Pezeshkian calls for facilitating return of Iranian expats
Iran needs to ‘reconsider’ outlook on expanding ties with neighbors
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the Foreign Ministry to prepare the ground for the return of Iranian expatriates who feel a close affinity with their homeland, calling them the “assets” of the country.
Speaking in a meeting with the country’s deputy foreign ministers and senior diplomats in Tehran, Pezeshkian pointed to the solidarity that swept through Iranians following the US-Israeli aggression against the country last month.
Referring to the June 13-25 imposed war on Iran, Pezeshkian said the regime aggressively sought to bring the country to its knees, but the Iranian nation took outstanding measures that need to be appreciated earnestly.
“This national unity should bring us to a realization — that we must treat the people with utmost respect and resolve issues through dialogue. The people inside the country, and even those who have left the country for various reasons, including dissatisfaction with our performance, have shown that their hearts beat for this land," the Iranian president said.
"Unfortunately, we've set up frameworks that make them (Iranian expatriates) afraid to return to the country," Pezeshkian added.
Relations with neighbors
The president also pointed to the relations with the neighboring countries, saying, “We need to reconsider our outlook on expanding relations with our neighbors.”
Pezeshkian underlined that the regional countries should push aside their differences, saying that unity among neighboring and regional countries will make them more powerful.
He pledged to prioritize regional outreach in Iran’s foreign policy, while also strengthening ties with key international partners such as Russia and China.
“Through established coordination and policies, we will seek to prioritize expansion of closer, deeper, and better relations with our neighbors, and then develop and advance our ties with the countries with which we have good interactions, including Russia, China, the BRICS group, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Eurasian Union,” he said.
“We will also continue the process of cooperation with European countries and other countries based on wisdom, dignity, and expediency.”
Israel’s aggression
He said that the Israeli regime initiated a war that was fundamentally unlawful under all international principles and regulations. “Unfortunately, in today’s world, such aggressive actions are often justified by major powers,” he added.
The president referred to the targeting of the Evin Prison by the Israeli regime during its aggression against the Islamic Republic, saying that certain countries talk about human rights but defend the attack by the Israeli regime, which is “shameful.”
The regime’s aggression against Iran on June 13 claimed the lives of nearly 1,100 Iranians, including civilians, military figures and nuclear scientists.