News - Middle East: President Masoud Pezeshkian has departed Tehran to attend a summit of the D-8 bloc of developing Muslim nations, which will take place on Thursday.

In remarks made in Tehran prior to the trip, President Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of strengthening ties among Islamic countries to counter external plots.

“Summits of this level, with the aim of fostering closer ties among Islamic countries in economic, political, cultural, and social domains, and enabling the exchange of experiences, are highly effective,” he said.

He highlighted Egypt’s significant role in the Islamic world, describing it as “a country with a long history and a great civilization which plays an influential role in the Islamic world.”

The president underscored the importance of building stronger relationships within the Islamic world, adding, “The closer, deeper, and more practical our relations with Islamic countries become, the more effectively we can thwart the enemies' conspiracies against us and other Islamic nations.”

He also noted that discussions during the summit will include key issues affecting Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon.

The talks aim to explore ways Islamic countries can adopt a unified stance to defend the rights of oppressed people in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

“Islamic countries should fundamentally serve as supporters of one another. Wherever possible, we should resolve our differences through dialogue,” the Iranian president said. “This summit offers a valuable opportunity for us to bring our perspectives closer and enhance our diplomatic influence in the region,” he concluded.

The visit marks the first time in over a decade that an Iranian president has traveled to Egypt, as relations between the two countries have long been strained.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the last Iranian president to visit Egypt in February 2013 to attend a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The D-8, or Developing Eight, is an economic cooperation organization established in 1997 through the Istanbul Declaration of the Summit of Heads of State.

Its member countries include Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, and Nigeria.

The organization focuses on enhancing economic cooperation, fostering development, and promoting shared interests among its members.

Press TV