Srinagar, Sep 15 (KNS) : Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday called for an end to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and said lasting peace in the region would not be possible without justice, while stressing that disputes could only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
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‎Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the MMU Ulema Meet and Seerat Conference in Srinagar, Mirwaiz said his recent meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gave him an opportunity to convey a message of solidarity from the people of Kashmir.
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‎“The meeting was good and we are happy that we got a chance to meet the President of Iran,” Mirwaiz said.
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‎He said the meeting also included a discussion on the historical relationship between Iran and Kashmir and the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
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‎“We gave them a message of solidarity from the people of Kashmir,” he said. “We said that we want the end of the war to be peaceful and justice to be established.”
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‎“Peace cannot be established until there is justice,” he added.
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‎Mirwaiz said the meeting also touched upon the centuries-old cultural and religious links between Iran and Kashmir.
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‎“We also talked about the historical connection between Iran and Kashmir, cultural and religious connection. We also talked about the connection with centuries,” he said.
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‎He said he presented the Iranian president with a model of a mosque made of Kashmiri walnut wood.
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‎“They were very happy and expressed their desire that they would like to come to Kashmir and meet the people here,” Mirwaiz said.
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‎Mirwaiz said the meeting took place against the backdrop of conflicts and growing tensions across several parts of the world.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
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‎“Although we say that this is not the era of war, but in reality, we see that the tension between countries is increasing,” he said.
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‎He referred to conflicts and tensions in South Asia, West Asia, Europe and Africa, including the situations in Ukraine and Sudan.
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‎“From Sudan to the whole region, where there is a very different atmosphere,” he said, adding that the circumstances made diplomacy and peace efforts particularly important.
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‎Referring to BRICS, Mirwaiz said the grouping had also carried a message of peace and diplomacy and expressed hope that such efforts would yield results.
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‎“We have always been convinced of this. I have always said this, whether I talk politically or socially, that the solution to the problem will come out of dialogue. Issues will not be resolved by war,” he said.
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‎Mirwaiz also called for an end to the conflicts in Iran, Palestine and Lebanon.
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‎“We want that the ongoing situation in Iran, as well as what is happening in Palestine and Lebanon, ends,” he said.
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‎He also raised the issue of relations between Muslim-majority countries, saying distrust among them needed to be addressed.
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‎“The distrust that has arisen between the Muslim countries, we also talked about this with Mr. Rashid,” he said.
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‎According to Mirwaiz, the Iranian side also expressed a desire for greater unity among Muslim countries.
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‎“He said that we want that there is unity in the Muslim Ummah,” Mirwaiz said.
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‎He expressed hope that the conflicts in the region would end and that disputes would ultimately be settled through peaceful means.(KNS)