Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that the Islamic Republic will not bow to any bully, stressing that the enemies’ aggressions have failed to undermine the Islamic Republic.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Kavelashvili on the sidelines of the farewell ceremony of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Friday.

Referring to the recent illegal, unprovoked US-Israeli aggression, on the first day of which Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated, Pezeshkian said “The enemies thought that by targeting the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and creating widespread pressure, the Islamic Republic of Iran would falter and collapse, but the result of this action was nothing more than increasing the cohesion, solidarity, and national unity of the Iranian nation.”

He noted that the country's armed forces “powerfully” defended Iran's security and territorial integrity, and the government, through its continuous management of affairs, prevented the disruption of the process of providing services and administering the country.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not bow to any bully,” Pezeshkian stated, adding, “They want to subjugate the nations, but our nation will not submit to force.”

Slamming Israel’s destabilizing actions in the region, the president emphasized that Iran has always sought to expand friendly and constructive relations with various countries, especially its neighboring countries and the countries in the surrounding region, and Georgia occupies an important place in this approach.”

For his part, Mikheil Kavelashvili expressed the sincere condolences and sympathy of the Georgian government and people on the occasion of the martyrdom of the leader of the Islamic Revolution and many Iranian citizens, saying “Georgia followed this loss with deep sorrow and stood by the Iranian nation in these difficult days.”

Referring to the historic ties between the two countries, the Georgian president called for strengthening mutual cooperation.

“Iran and Georgia have ancient and deep-rooted civilizations, and these historical commonalities can serve as a valuable basis for deepening relations and charting new horizons of cooperation between the two countries,” he emphasized.

Iran-Turkey ties affect regional stability

Pezeshkian also met with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, who arrived in Tehran to pay tribute to the martyred leader, on Friday.

Referring to the destructive role of Israel in the region, Pezeshkian stated that the Israeli regime has played a direct role in numerous regional crises and tensions over the past decades, “yet simultaneously attempts to portray others as the source of insecurity.”

“The primary objective of this approach is to stoke discord among Islamic nations and undermine the capabilities of the Islamic world in order to advance its own illegitimate interests,” Pezeshkian said.

Emphasizing the necessity of strengthening cooperation among Muslim countries, he said, “The greater the cohesion and cooperation among Muslim countries, the more the potential for interference and influence by destructive actors in the region will diminish. If the Muslim world effectively harnesses its shared capabilities, the grounds for the continuation of atrocities and destabilizing actions against the region's peoples will be eliminated.”

For his part, Yilmaz conveyed the message of condolence and sympathy from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the martyrdom of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, and also conveyed the condolences of the Turkish government and people to the government and people of Iran.

He noted that ties between Tehran and Ankara have consequences for the region.

“The stronger and closer the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey, the more the scope for extra-regional interference and the creation of rifts among regional countries will diminish. Regional security and stability hinge on cooperation, dialogue, and mutual trust among the countries of the region,” Yilmaz stressed.

He also requested the Iranian president to convey the greetings and condolences of Erdogan to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

On Friday, Iran began the first stage of funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a cowardly US-Israeli strike on the opening day of the recent 40-day war on February 28, with foreign dignitaries and religious figures paying their respects at Tehran's Grand Mosalla.

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