President Rouhani invites Malaysian king to Iran

President Hassan Rouhani has officially invited Malaysia’s king to visit Iran in order to discuss the problems that face the Muslim world and further strengthen the countries’ bilateral ties.

Rouhani extended the invitation in a letter that he wrote to Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Monday on the occasion of the anniversary of Malaysia’s Independence Day, the office of the Iranian president said.

He congratulated the royal as well as the Malaysian people and government on the occasion that marks the Southeast Asian nation’s independence from the British rule in 1957.

The Iranian president lauded the countries’ common standpoint concerning confrontation with the crises that have come to afflict the world’s Muslim countries, including Palestine’s continued occupation by the Israeli regime and the Palestinians’ ongoing suffering as a result.

Similar to Iran, Malaysia famously and resolutely avoids recognizing Israel in protest at Tel Aviv’s apartheid policies targeting the Palestinians. The Malaysian passport bears a blunt reminder of Kuala Lumpur’s stance on the matter by forbidding the document from being applied for entry into the occupied territories.

The Islamic Republic considers “dialog and constructive interaction among Muslim governments as the only way out of the problems that face the Muslim world,” Rouhani said. 

Accordingly, he added, the monarch was welcome in the Islamic Republic for talks and consultation on the Muslim world’s predicaments and the Islamic Republic’s proposals aimed at bringing about peace and security.

The potential visit would also feature potential further development of ties with the “friendly and brotherly” country that is Malaysia, the letter noted.

“I hope that under the aegis of the existing political will, the countries will witness further solidarity between the two nations and development of their mutual relations in all political, economic, cultural, and international areas,” it read.

Rouhani visited Malaysia last December, when he underlined the need for cooperation among Muslim countries to fend off pressures by big powers, particularly the United States.

Iran’s president: Muslims’ cooperation plays key role in resisting US pressures

The Iranian president calls for cooperation among Muslim countries to counter pressures by big powers, particularly the US.

During that visit, he joined the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 alongside former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who welcomed his proposal to use cryptocurrency among Muslim countries as an alternative to the US dollar.

In the run-up to the summit, Saudi Arabia, one of Washington’s most dedicated regional allies which is also accused of semi-covert relations with Tel Aviv, started pressuring Muslim countries into snubbing the event.

Saudi Arabia fails to undermine summit of Muslim nations

At least 250 foreign representatives from 52 countries have joined the Kuala Lumpur Summit.

At least 250 foreign representatives from 52 countries, however, joined the KL Summit, with Riyadh’s pressure only managing to keep Pakistan out.

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