Iranian president calls on intl. community to pressure Israel to end attacks on Gaza

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi has called on the international community to double down on efforts to bring to halt Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, saying the entire world is concerned about the situation in the small blockaded territory.

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon, Raeisi said that “all the conscientious people” are worried over the fate of the poor Palestinians in Gaza.

He described Palestine as the priority “issue of Islam as well as an issue of humanity,” and everybody wants an immediate halt to attacks on Gaza and the end of genocide of people, including children in Palestine.

The people of the world want the end of atrocities, the removal of the blockade, delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and restoration of the rights of Palestinians, he said, calling on international organizations to hear the voice of the people and take serious action to stop Israel.

Israel waged a bloody war on the blockaded Gaza Strip on October 7 following Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity.

Since the start of the aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 10,569 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

It has also imposed a “complete siege” on the coastal sliver, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

Iran, Tajikistan presidents call for bolstering cooperation 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raeisi said political and economic ties between Iran and Tajikistan have improved over the past months, but more efforts are needed to deepen cooperation.

He said that his discussions with the Tajik president show there’s no obstacle to expansion of relations between the two countries, which enjoy cultural commonalities and have the same language.

He added that the current level of economic cooperation does not correspond to the close friendship between the two nations and there’s much capacity for stronger collaboration.

“Today, the two countries’ top officials have a will to expand ties in all fields, and I believe officials of both sides must bring this into implementation. So far, good steps have been taken, but from now on big steps should also be taken to expand ties between the two countries.”

The Iranian president said Iran has made great progress despite the Western sanctions and threats, and it can share its capacities with Tajikistan in various fields, including energy, agriculture, industries, mines and technical know-how.

The Tajik president, for his part, said historic and cultural commonalities of the two nations provide good ground for closer cooperation between the two sides.

He hailed the “constructive atmosphere” governing bilateral relations, and said the two countries have great potential to boost collaboration in various fields.

Iran-Tajikistan sign 18 documents to deepen cooperation

Before the press conference, the two delegations of the countries signed 18 documents on commercial, industrial, transportation, energy, cultural and scientific cooperation, as well as fighting narcotics trafficking.

They also issued a joint declaration saying they aim to deepen long-term bilateral relations.

After the visit, Raeisi will travel to Uzbekistan’s capital city Tashkent to attend the 16th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Raeisi has said that Gaza is the most important issue that he will raise at the ECO summit and in his meetings with the heads of states on the event’s sidelines.