Let us come together to build a strong, prosperous region

At the start of my tenure as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, voted in by the people of Iran,  I wish to address our sisters, brothers, and neighbours in the region to say: Let us embark together on a path of constructive dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity among the peoples and nations of our region.

Our guiding principles are rooted in the eternal teachings of the Holy Quran: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided," and "Cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression." We also look for guidance in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said, "Fear Allah concerning your neighbours," and the commandments of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, who advised, "Ask about the neighbour before the house".

We share a common geography, and thus, we must unite and collaborate to live a righteous life—a principal goal of Islam and all divine religions–and to build a resilient region reliant on the power of logic rather than the logic of power. Achieving this requires harnessing national strengths, mobilizing popular support, and rallying the active forces within the Islamic nation.

No isolated plan in the region will succeed, nor will prosperity and progress be realised unless we achieve harmony in our region and cooperate towards a bright future. Indeed, only appropriately leveraging the divine blessings and unique geopolitical position of our region will propel us towards progress, growth, and prosperity.

No doubt, deep, constructive, and purposeful dialogue aimed at establishing cooperation across various fields is the sole path to overcoming current challenges and turmoil. This approach can secure lasting stability and security, enabling the peoples of the region to benefit from their talents and resources.

'The open wound of Palestine'

At the beginning of my presidency, and to achieve this desired goal, I extend a hand of friendship and brotherhood to all our neighbours and regional countries, urging them to join in a genuine and serious movement towards cooperation. Iran and its Arab and Muslim neighbours share many common stances and interests in international and regional issues. Indeed, we all reject the monopoly of specific powers over global decisions and oppose the division of the world based on the interests of major powers.

We all call for the acceptance of cultural diversity, the elimination of discrimination, and for respecting the religious values of Muslims in other societies and within legal and international institutions. We all have both responsibilities and interests in ending Islamophobia.

The open wound of Palestine is our collective cause, and its resolution is also our collective duty. The Islamic Republic of Iran salutes the heroic resilience of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza against the brutal aggression of the Zionist occupier. We reaffirm our belief that security and stability in the region will only be achieved by recognising the Palestinian people's right to all forms of resistance as a means of liberation from occupation, securing their natural and inherent rights, particularly to achieve independence, self-determination, and an end to occupation, racial discrimination, genocide, and Zionist state terrorism.

We affirm that terrorism and extremism inflict suffering sparing none, necessitating radical solutions and mutual cooperation between us. This also requires ending military conflicts between regional countries based on truth, justice, and the legitimate rights of peoples, as well as resolving internal crises through peaceful solutions. Only the Zionist occupier and foreign powers benefit from the continuation of internal crises and conflicts in the region.

I announce Iran's readiness to participate in economic development projects, infrastructure development, and transport corridors among neighbouring countries.

The peoples of the region deserve to enjoy the fruits of economic development and social prosperity, and governments must assist one another for the sake of achieving progress and prosperity. In this context, I announce Iran's readiness to participate in economic development projects, infrastructure development, and transport corridors among neighbouring countries. Iran is also prepared to involve these countries in the North-South and East-West corridors within its territory.

The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the strength of its neighbours as its own strength and believes that neighbours should not enhance their capabilities at the expense of others. Indeed, the top priority of Iran's foreign policy is to expand cooperation with its neighbours.

The new government of Iran will strive to maintain the current government's approach to strengthening relations with neighbouring countries and will work to elevate bilateral relations based on mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, provided that regional countries show active and mutual cooperation.

The nuclear weapons of the Zionist entity pose a threat to the entire region and international peace and security, necessitating regional and global cooperation for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. Sustainable peace and stability in the Persian Gulf region also require addressing various threats and establishing a system of collective cooperation and security among neighbouring countries.

Moreover, managing the period of turmoil and transition in the current international system calls for initiatives aimed at regional solidarity and overcoming extremism in the region and the arrogance of international powers. In this context, Arab and Islamic countries, by adhering to their cultural values and being guided by peaceful and tolerant Islamic teachings, can play a fundamental role in international dialogues and efforts to promote global peace and stability.

Masoud Pezeshkian is an Iranian cardiac surgeon and reformist politician who is the president-elect of Iran

This article was first published in Arabic by our sister publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed

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Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.