'Good Step, Hope It Lasts': Farooq Abdullah Welcomes Israel-Iran Ceasefire

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, calling it a positive development and expressing hope that the truce would hold, ensuring the safety of innocent civilians caught in the conflict.

“I am thankful to the Almighty if there is indeed a ceasefire. It is a good thing. Innocent people were being killed. I pray that the ceasefire lasts,” Abdullah told reporters during his visit to Dooru in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The seasoned leader, who has served as the chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir multiple times, was responding to questions about the recent de-escalation between the two nations following a period of intense regional tension. He emphasized that peace is always the better option and that sustained calm can prevent further loss of life.

When asked whether the United States had surrendered to Iran in agreeing to the ceasefire, the NC president dismissed the idea of either side backing down. Instead, he underlined the importance of human compassion and the broader geopolitical context behind the move.

“Nobody has surrendered before anyone, neither Iran nor America. But out of humanity, they said that this should be stopped. This would have impacted their economy, and the economy of the rest of the world,” he said, adding, “there was global pressure on America to end this.”

Turning his attention to the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3, Abdullah expressed optimism about the safety and success of the pilgrimage. “We hope that pilgrims return to their homes after having ‘darshan’ of Bholenath happily, and then tell people back home how good the people (here) are and about the beauty that the Almighty has blessed this place with,” he said.

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