WANA (August 12) – Massoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, in response to a phone call from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Prime Minister of the Vatican, expressed his gratitude for the Vatican’s stance in supporting peace, stability, and security in the world.

 

He called for a more active role by the Vatican in immediately stopping the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza, lifting the siege on the region, and providing humanitarian aid to the people through consultations with international organizations and human rights bodies.

 

The Iranian President described the genocide and killing of innocent women and children in Gaza, cowardly assassinations in regional countries, and attacks on hospitals and schools sheltering refugees as examples of the Zionist regime’s war crimes.

 

He added that, shockingly and regrettably, despite ten months passing, not only have the expectations of nations to force this regime to stop its unprecedented crimes and killings in Gaza gone unanswered, but the United States and some Western countries, with their support, and international organizations, through their silence and inaction, have encouraged the Zionist regime in committing these crimes, genocide, and terrorism.

 

Pezeshkian emphasized the principled stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran in condemning war and bloodshed and promoting global peace and security.

 

He considered the actions of the Zionist regime in killing women and children, attacking hospitals and schools, and its criminal act of assassinating a guest of our country as contrary to all human and legal principles.

 

He asserted that, according to all international laws and regulations, the right to defend and respond to an aggressor is reserved for a country that has been attacked.

 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Prime Minister of the Vatican, also conveyed Pope Francis’s congratulations to Dr. Pezeshkian on his victory in the presidential election and praised the President’s principled stance on constructive engagement with the world and the emphasis on maintaining and promoting global peace and stability.

 

He added that the Vatican, while expressing interest in further expanding relations between the two states, supports the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in enhancing interaction, synergy, and convergence among regional and global countries.

 

The Vatican Prime Minister also emphasized the urgent need to stop the killing of civilians in Gaza and to establish an immediate ceasefire in the region as the main position of his government.