Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, others meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Srinagar: Kashmiri leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, along with Aga Syed Hassan and Molvi Imran Raza Ansari, met Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and exchanged views on the grave situation confronting the region, the need for restraint and diplomacy, and the importance of safeguarding unity within the Muslim Ummah.

Mirwaiz said India, with its legacy of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Ahimsa, could play a constructive role in encouraging restraint, diplomacy and peaceful engagement at a time of growing international tensions.

The delegation conveyed its solidarity with the people of Iran and expressed deep concern over the loss of innocent lives, destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the climate of fear and insecurity created by war. They also referred to the continuing devastation in Palestine and the loss of life and instability in Lebanon, saying the widening cycle of conflict had created an extremely serious situation across the region.


Mirwaiz said that at such a critical moment, wisdom, restraint and statesmanship were needed more than ever.

“War only multiplies human suffering. However serious the differences may be, endless confrontation cannot resolve them. Ultimately, even the most difficult disputes have to return to dialogue, engagement and negotiation,” said Mirwaiz.

He stressed that the present conflicts must not be allowed to deepen sectarian divisions within the Muslim world. “At a time when Muslims in many parts of the world are already facing Islamophobia, insecurity and uncertainty, political rivalries and sectarian differences should not be permitted to further weaken the Ummah,” said Mirwaiz.

He stated that differences must never overcome the larger bonds of faith, brotherhood and shared humanity. “The suffering of the people in Iran, Palestine, Lebanon and elsewhere should bring us closer in compassion and responsibility, not push us further apart,” said Mirwaiz.

He recalled the historic association of Iran with Srinagar’s Jama Masjid, including the commemorative gathering held there following the passing of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. He recalled Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei’s historic visit to Kashmir in the early years following the Islamic revolution, when he addressed the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid in the presence of his Moulvi Mohammad Farooq, stressing the message of the Qur’an, brotherhood and Shia-Sunni unity.

Mirwaiz presented Araghchi with a specially crafted walnut-wood souvenir depicting the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, symbolising the enduring cultural and spiritual bonds between the people of Kashmir and Iran.

“South Asia’s own experience had demonstrated the heavy human cost of prolonged tensions and unresolved disputes and had reinforced the need for sustained engagement and dialogue,” said Mirwaiz.

“The grave challenges facing our world cannot be settled through ever-widening wars. Confrontation will only aggravate them. Human dignity has no sect or nationality, and every innocent life is precious. We must remain on the right side of history — on the side of justice, humanity and peace,” he said.