(MENAFN) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday held back-to-back meetings with the interior ministers of Pakistan and Iraq, focusing on enhancing bilateral relations and addressing key regional concerns amid heightened tensions with Israel.

During talks with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Pezeshkian voiced satisfaction with the state of Iran-Pakistan ties and emphasized the need for sustained exchanges of diplomatic delegations. He underscored the importance of maintaining "constructive" consultations to broaden cooperation across all sectors.

The Iranian president also drew attention to what he termed the "precarious" state of the Muslim world, calling for urgent unity among Muslim-majority nations to confront shared challenges.

Naqvi, in turn, affirmed Pakistan's alignment with Iran, stating that his country was among the first to denounce Israel’s "aggression" and to back Iran’s "legitimate right to self-defense." He praised the partnership between the two nations as "unique and expanding."

Later in the day, Pezeshkian met with Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, describing the relationship between Iran and Iraq as "brotherly and based on deep religious and cultural bonds." He reiterated Iran’s commitment to scaling up cooperation with Iraq across all domains.

Reaffirming Tehran's broader diplomatic vision, Pezeshkian said Iran would continue working toward greater unity, solidarity, and fraternity within the Muslim world. He also warned of Israel’s "destructive" role in destabilizing West Asia and called on regional states to resist divisive agendas.

Al-Shammari responded by congratulating the Iranian people for their "victorious resistance" against Israel.

Tensions escalated sharply on June 13 when Israel launched a series of large-scale airstrikes on Iranian territory, targeting military and nuclear facilities. The assault claimed the lives of senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and numerous civilians. Iran retaliated with multiple waves of missile and drone strikes, inflicting additional casualties and damage on Israeli targets.

Following nearly two weeks of hostilities, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was reached on June 24.

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