The Hindu : New Delhi News : Call to bolster Indo-Iranian ties

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Call to bolster Indo-Iranian ties

Staff Reporter

‘Every country needs to send across a message of peace’

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Strengthening bonds: Iranian Vice-President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei and ICCR president Karan Singh inaugurating ‘Days of Iranian Culture in India’, an exhibition of traditional music and folk art, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: Emphasising the need to further strengthen cultural ties between Iran and India, Iranian Vice-President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei on Wednesday said every country needs to send across a message of peace and brotherhood.

Speaking after inaugurating an exhibition, “Days of Iranian Culture in India”, at the National Museum here, Mr. Mashaei said war was not a solution to new challenges: “Every country needs to send across the message of peace. Modern weapons don’t have the competence to manage human beings. Both India and Iran have identical friends and enemies.”

Earlier, Indian Council for Cultural Relations president Karan Singh said: “I come from a Muslim-majority State so I am pleased that there was recitation of a few lines from the holy Quran before the inauguration of the cultural week. Now I am going to say a prayer in Sanskrit that is an ancient language that talks about peace and harmony….”

“I come from the northern-most State of the country and there was a time in history when Kashmir was known as small Iran. Zardozi, shawls, chinar trees and samovar came from that country. We have had good memories of Iran. The Sufi saints promoted peace and shunned hatred and fanaticism,” said Dr. Karan Singh.

Besides instrumental music, there was a performance by a theatre group from Iran.

The exhibition showcases photos, handicrafts, folk dresses and books.

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