Iran president says Palestine, swift end to Israel’s Gaza war top of agenda of Russia visit

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says the Palestinian issue and the brutal Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip will be top on the agenda of his official visit to Russia.

Speaking to reporters before setting off for Moscow on Thursday, Raeisi said all Muslims and free nations are concerned about the current situation in Gaza.

He added that urgent efforts to stop the Israeli regime’s bombing raids against Gaza, lift the blockade on the Strip, provide aid to the Palestinians in the war-hit teritory, and help the Palestinian people restore their absolute rights will be among other main topics to be discussed.

Iranian authorities have held talks with high-ranking officials from various countries about the Palestinian issue and Israel’s ongoing onslaught against Gaza, which would be pursued during the visit to Moscow as well, he noted.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the coastal territory, including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship, since Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise attack, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, against the regime on October 7.

Since then, the Israeli regime has also imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, impeding the Strip’s access to food, water and medicine.

At least 16,248 Palestinians, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women, have been killed and more than 43,616 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the territory since the onset of the war.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raeisi said the promotion of political, economic, trade, cultural and knowledge-based cooperation between Iran and Russia is also among other objectives of his visit, which is taking place at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Iranian president emphasized that the exchange of delegations between Tehran and Moscow showed that the two sides have taken steps to further promote relations in a bid to serve bilateral and regional interests.

Iran and Russia have a common stance on peace and stability in the region, leading regional and extra-regional developments and the fight against unilateralism, he pointed out.

Raeisi said the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Council and the BRICS group of emerging economies have prepared the ground for the expansion of Tehran-Moscow ties and relations with the regional and allied states.