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Pezeshkian welcomes Venezuela’s plans for promoting peace in West Asia
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday welcomed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s push for a regional peace summit, voicing support during a phone call for what he called “constructive initiatives” aimed at reducing tensions in West Asia.
The call came amid mounting criticism in Iran of what it views as US complicity in Israeli military actions against Iranian interests, president.ir reported.
Pezeshkian thanked Caracas for its firm opposition to Israel’s “aggressions” and praised Venezuela’s “principled and courageous” stance in supporting Iranian sovereignty.
He said Tehran remained committed to diplomacy, but warned that Iran would strike back “decisively” if provoked again.
“Our path is dialogue,” Pezeshkian said, “but the United States has paved the way for Israel’s violations by abandoning diplomatic norms.”
He described recent attacks on Iranian targets as “blatant breaches” of international law.
The two leaders also pledged to expand strategic cooperation as they marked 75 years of diplomatic ties. Pezeshkian stressed that bilateral relations would grow “deeper, broader and more strategic.”
Maduro, for his part, condemned Israel’s actions and offered condolences for the Iranian lives lost. He called the Iranian response “heroic,” saying it had “shattered” the perceived dominance of the Israeli military and boosted morale among nations resisting foreign pressure.
“The Iranian people have shown they can defend their right to peace,” Maduro said, expressing hope that a proposed peace summit would yield “major agreements” and help secure lasting regional stability.
Both sides signaled their intent to step up economic and political engagement. Maduro said the time was ripe to “deepen bilateral ties and strengthen strategic bonds.”