During a ceremony, titled ‘Norouz 1400’, on Monday evening to mark the New Year celebrations, Mounesan urged all countries to work to promote peace, prevent war and spread friendship among governments and nations.

The ‘Norouz 1400’ ceremony was held with the presence of Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif, Secretary-General of UNESCO’s Iran National Commission chief Hojjatollah Ayoubi, President of ECO Cultural Institute Sarvar Bakhti, Mounesan, Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi and a group of ambassadors in Tehran, artists and media people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.

Mounesan expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Commission for UNESCO in Iran which organized the event and noted that Norouz evokes renewal in nature, heralds days of dynamism and growth, and promises days of change and transformation for the better.

He said thanks to traditions such as Norouz, the Iranian nation has tried to learn from the past to build a better future, both for itself and the world, by focusing on its living and glorious heritage, and inviting everyone to peace, empathy and friendship.

Mounesan further outlined his ministry’s efforts to promote peace among nations by concentrating on common roots and similarities and avoiding differences.

Referring to the fact that Iran has been subject to the most severe sanctions for four decades and a severe economic war in the past three years, the minister stressed that despite all this, the nation has stood more resilient than ever, for it wanted to defend its national identity and dignity.

He called on the ambassadors from foreign countries and the representatives of foreign organizations who participated in the event to convey the realities of Iran as they are, so that ambiguities would disappear.

Addressing the participants, Zarif also congratulated them on the arrival of Norouz, wrote IFP.

Zarif described Norouz as an international occasion, saying the current Iranian year will come to an end on March 20, 2021, ending the 14th century on Iran’s solar calendar, a century littered with numerous wars and sanctions and many instances of discrimination.

He expressed hope that the next Iranian year will mark the beginning of a century in which natural disasters, diseases, wars and sanctions will end.

Zarif congratulated all peace-loving nations on the occasion of Norouz.

Source: Iran Daily