Amid the backlash by Muslim countries over the Prophet remark row, India and Iran on Wednesday held talks during which Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reportedly raised the issue of controversial comments in a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is the first big visitor from Iran days after the country joined Kuwait, Qatar and other Gulf nations in condemning the comments against Prophet Muhammad made by members of the BJP who were later faced action from the party.
As per an Iranian readout quoted by news agency PTI, Abdollahian raised the issue of the “negative atmosphere” triggered by “disrespectful” comments on the Prophet and added that the Indian side reiterated the Indian government’s respect for the founder of Islam.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Doval, according to the Iranian readout, reaffirmed the Indian government’s respect for the founder of Prophet Muhammad, saying offenders will be “dealt with in such a way that others will learn a lesson”.
Meanwhile, at a press conference in the evening, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that tweets and statements do not reflect the views of the Government of India and action has been taken, when asked about the Prophet remark row. He also said, “The issue of the Prophet did not come up between EAM (Jaishankar) and the Iranian foreign minister,” he added.
The Iranian minister, meanwhile, tweeted that the two sides agreed on the need to respect “divine religions” and “Islamic sanctities” to “avoid divisive statements”. “Pleased to meet PM Modi, FM Jaishankar and other Indian officials to advance our bilateral strategic dialogue. Tehran & New Delhi agree on the need to respect divine religions & Islamic sanctities & to avoid divisive statements. determined to bring relations to new heights,” the Iranian minister wrote after the meeting.
Pleased to meet PM Modi, FM Jaishankar & other Indian officials to advance our bilateral strategic dialogue.Tehran & New Delhi agree on the need to respect divine religions & Islamic sanctities & to avoid divisive statements.
???????????????? determined to bring relations to new heights.
— H.Amirabdollahian امیرعبداللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) June 8, 2022
The Iranian readout quoted by several reports said the minister praised the Indian people and the government for their respect for Prophet Muhammad as well as for their religious tolerance and historical coexistence between various faiths.
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The readout said the Iranian foreign minister also referred to the historical friendship between the followers of various religions in the country, PTI reported.
“Abdollahian hailed the Indian people and government for their respect for the divine faiths, especially the Prophet Mohammad and also for the religious tolerance, historical coexistence and friendship among followers of various religions in the country [sic],” the readout said.
The Iranian foreign minister said, “Muslims are satisfied with the stance of Indian officials in dealing with the culprits.”
The BJP on Sunday suspended Nupur Sharma, its national spokesperson, and expelled the party’s Delhi unit media head Naveen Jindal, over their comments on Prophet Muhammad after several Muslim countries raised their concern with the controversial remarks.
Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Jordan, Bahrain, Maldives, Malaysia, Oman, Iraq and Libya, denounced the comments and many summoned Indian envoys to express their condemnation.
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