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Pezeshkian reaffirms Iran’s firm commitment to lasting stability in region
‘We’re very close to making a deal,’ Trump claims
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Tehran’s firm commitment to lasting peace and stability in the region as there are regional efforts led by Pakistan to end the ongoing tensions in the West Asia region, which have been caused by the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.
The Iranian president made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir in Tehran on Thursday.
Pezeshkian also applauded Pakistan’s constructive mediation in brokering a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
The meeting came days after Friday’s negotiations between Iran and the United States in Pakistan to put an end to a US-Israeli aggression against Iran, which failed to produce an agreement due to the American delegation’s excessive demands.
The talks followed a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire agreement which temporarily ended the aggression which began on February 28. The 14-day ceasefire expires on April 22.
During the aggression, the US and Israel assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military commanders and killed more than 3,000 civilians.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks lasting peace and stability in the region and emphasizes the realization of the rights of the Iranian nation within the framework of international law,” Pezeshkian stated.
Legitimate self-defense
The Iranian president made it clear that the recent targeting of US military bases in Persian Gulf Arab states by Iran’s armed forces was carried out strictly within the framework of legitimate self-defense in response to the aggression imposed on the country.
Pointing to the root cause of regional instability, Pezeshkian said Israel is behind many wars and acts of division among Islamic countries.
“The Islamic Ummah must, through convergence and cooperation, prevent the Zionist regime from exploiting Islamic lands against Muslims themselves,” he emphasized.
The Iranian president expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s responsible and consistent efforts to end the war, urging other Islamic countries to follow the same path.
Pezeshkian warned that war serves no one’s interest. “America will not win this conflict; it is the countries of the region and the world that will suffer serious losses, while only the Zionist regime seeks to fulfill its desires.”
The Pakistani official, for his part, said that although the war will end, the region will not return to pre-war conditions.
He stressed the need for collective cooperation in reconstruction, stability, and peace, noting the support of countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey for the diplomatic process.
There are some speculations about holding the second round of the negotiations in Pakistan. However, neither side has confirmed the issue.
‘Very close to a deal’
US President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that a deal to end the war in Iran could be reached soon, although the timing remained unclear.
Trump said a two-week ceasefire could be extended, although he did not believe that would be necessary as Tehran wanted a deal.
"We're going to see what happens. But I think we're very close to making a deal with Iran," he told reporters, adding if an agreement was reached and signed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.