(VOVworld) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called on neighboring countries to enhance friendship to bring stability and peace to the region.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: iranreview.org)

Rouhani made the call in his annual message on the occasion of the Persian New Year on Sunday.

Tens of millions of people in Iran, Armenia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey welcomed the Persian New Year, Nowruz.

In separate messages to the leaders of the nine nearby countries, Rouhani said Nowruz is a festival of moderation and happiness. He said the tradition of Nowruz encourages friendly relations and peaceful coexistence, and expressed his hope that the New Year will be full of prosperity and happiness for the nine Asian nations marking Nowruz.