TEHRAN -- President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s recent 12-day military aggression against Iran during his speech at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, emphasizing that Iran’s armed forces delivered a decisive response that thwarted the spread of war and firmly defended the nation’s sovereignty.
Addressing heads of state and government officials from Central and South Asia, the Caucasus, and West Asia, Pezeshkian denounced Israel’s criminal strikes, which targeted Iranian military commanders, university professors, civilians, peaceful nuclear facilities under international oversight, and critical public infrastructure. 
The attacks, supported by the United States, flagrantly violated the United Nations Charter, including Article 2, paragraph 4, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, Pezeshkian said.
“In this war, the Iranian armed forces, acting in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, legitimately defended the country’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” Pezeshkian said. “They taught the aggressors a decisive lesson and prevented the conflict from spreading throughout the region.”
Pezeshkian expressed gratitude to ECO member states and regional partners for their solidarity and support, noting that many international and regional organizations—including the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Islamic Countries—strongly condemned Israel’s attacks.
“The 17th ECO Summit provides an important platform to highlight these recent aggressions and the wider regional and global threats they pose,” he added.
Beyond condemning Israeli aggression, President Pezeshkian stressed ECO’s critical role as a foundation for regional economic strength and cooperation. He called on member states to enhance trade, improve transit routes, and embrace new technologies to build a prosperous and resilient region.
Highlighting current challenges, Pezeshkian noted that intra-regional trade remains at only 8 percent, far below the organization’s goals. He called for urgent efforts to revise and modernize the existing ECO trade agreement and launch negotiations to establish a free trade zone by 2035.
Improving transit infrastructure to benefit landlocked member states was another priority. “We must provide new privileges at entry and exit points to improve trade and transit efficiency,” Pezeshkian said.
The president also proposed creating a regional center specializing in artificial intelligence within ECO to boost technological cooperation and competitiveness. Additionally, he highlighted tourism’s potential as a growth sector, encouraging investments in the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
Pezeshkian emphasized the need for resilience in facing crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for both national and regional preparedness to ensure sustainable development. “Our 2035 Vision must seriously address these issues to secure stability and growth across member states,” he said.
During the summit, Pezeshkian held bilateral meetings with several regional leaders, including Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif, and Tajikistan’s Emomali Rahmon. He emphasized that such diplomatic exchanges should extend beyond leaders to ministers and deputies to implement agreed understandings effectively.
Speaking with Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif, Pezeshkian reiterated

 Iran’s commitment to expanding cooperation with neighboring and Muslim countries, advocating diplomacy and dialogue to resolve differences. Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of Israeli aggression and supported Iran’s right to self-defense.
In a discussion with Tajikistan’s president, Pezeshkian stressed that diplomacy remains effective if all parties honor their commitments. 
“Iran still considers diplomacy the best path to resolving disputes, provided the other side is genuinely committed,” he said. Rahmon echoed calls for a return to negotiations to resolve regional tensions.
“The principled stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains to promote neighborly relations and multilateral economic diplomacy,” Pezeshkian said. “Together, through ECO, we can realize our shared vision of enhanced trade, transit, digital innovation, tourism, and regional resilience by 2035.”
The summit concluded with renewed commitment among member states to advance peace, prosperity, and stability across the region, standing united in the face of external threats.