Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Heads to New Delhi for Interaction with Iranian President
Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, departed for New Delhi on Friday to take part in a special meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The meeting was arranged following an invite from the Iranian ambassador to India.
In his announcement, Mirwaiz noted that the event would gather religious leaders, intellectuals, and other prominent figures. This interaction is part of President Pezeshkian’s visit to the capital, coinciding with the BRICS Summit. The meeting will be hosted by Iran’s ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, and is set to be followed by a dinner reception later in the evening.
Earlier this year, in March, Mirwaiz led a group of Kashmiri religious leaders to the Iranian embassy in New Delhi. They expressed their condolences over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and offered solidarity to the Iranian people during that challenging time.
Mirwaiz emphasized the strong cultural, historical, and religious connections between Kashmir and Iran, referring to Kashmir as “Iran-e-Sagheer,” meaning “little Iran.” Following the news of Khamenei’s death, many people in Kashmir gathered in large numbers to mourn him, with vigils held in places like Lal Chowk and Budgam. The Iranian embassy also launched a donation drive, receiving contributions ranging from cash and gold to household items, vehicles, and livestock.
This gathering comes amid a backdrop of increased cooperation and mutual respect between the two regions, with significant political figures from Jammu and Kashmir, like former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, also having visited the Iranian embassy to extend their condolences earlier this year.
