TEHRAN – A senior Iranian lawmaker has underlined the need for Islamic countries to prevent European countries from creating consensus against the Resistance Front at the meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). 

The Lawmaker, Vahid Jalalzadeh, who is the head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, made the remarks in a meeting with the head of Qatar’s Parliament, Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem. 

Heading a parliamentary delegation, Jalazadeh paid a visit to the tiny Persian Gulf nation. 

In the meeting, Jalalzadeh appreciated the efforts and support of the government, parliament and people of Qatar for the Palestinian people, according to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA. 

He stressed the good relations between Iran and Qatar and underlined its continuation. “The parliaments of the two countries should also be active and make their voices heard in other countries,” Jalalzadeh added. 

He stated, “Islamic countries should appear actively in the 147th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and not allow the consensus of European countries against the Resistance Front to create an extraordinary clause in this meeting.”

At the meeting, the deliberations of the meeting of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee with the ambassadors of Islamic countries, secretaries and heads of international organizations based in Tehran were also discussed.

Jalalzadeh appreciated the cooperation of the Qatari government in the direction of freeing Iranian prisoners in the United States and unblocking Iran's blocked funds in South Korea.

Al-Ghanem, in turn, stressed Qatar’s support of the oppressed Palestinian people and stated, “We should not allow the people of Gaza to be held hostage without providing basic needs such as water and food.”

At the end of this meeting, a written message from Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, regarding the recent developments in the region, was submitted to the Speaker of the Qatari Parliament.

The inaugural speech at the 147th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, drew an angry reaction from several Muslim delegations who deemed President Duarte Pacheco’s remarks in favor of the Israeli regime unjust and misleading.

On Monday the president, who is wrapping up his three-year term, kicked off his speech by commenting on “Israel’s right to defend itself”, referring to the regime’s heavy and relentless bombardment of Gaza in recent days. The attacks have so far resulted in the death of more than 5,000 people, with children making up have of the casualties. Israel has also begun a “full siege” of the territory not allowing any food, water, fuel, and medicine inside Gaza. 

Delegations from South Africa, Iran, Kuwait, Palestine, Algeria, and some other Muslim countries reportedly walked out of the opening ceremony after a member of the Iranian delegation shouted “Israel is a terrorist entity” to protest the president’s remarks.