TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pietro Parolin, Vatican City's cardinal secretary of state, on Monday exchanged views on the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

In a phone call, the two sides highlighted the need to refrain from war and promote global peace and security, according to a statement published on the website of Pezeshkian's office.

Speaking highly of its role in promoting global peace, security and safety, the Iranian president called on Vatican City to play a more active role and help immediately stop Israel's "criminal moves" in the Gaza Strip and ensure humanitarian aid delivery to people in Gaza through holding consultations with relevant international and human rights organizations.

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Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's positions of opposing and refraining from war and bloodshed and improving global peace and security and condemned Israel's alleged "criminal action" of assassinating Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh.

According to all international rules and regulations, any country subject to aggression reserves the right to defend itself and respond to the aggressor, he said.

For his part, Parolin praised Pezeshkian for his "principled" stance towards promoting constructive interaction with the world and for his emphasis on maintaining and improving global peace and stability.

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Vatican City is willing to further expand relations with Iran, he said, noting that Vatican City supports Iran's positions on promoting interaction and synergy between countries in West Asia and the world.

Parolin also called for immediately stopping killing civilians in Gaza and achieving a ceasefire in the enclave.  

Pezeshkian on Monday also had a phone call with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. The two sides discussed regional issues and expressed willingness to promote bilateral relations.

Pezeshkian highlighted the necessity to remove obstacles to improving relations between Iran and European states, adding that Tehran is interested in developing ties with all European countries, including Germany, based on mutual friendship, trust building and respect, according to a statement published on the website of Pezeshkian's office.

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Maintaining and improving regional and global peace, stability, and security are among Iran's pivotal policies, he said.

Accusing Israel of continuing its "crimes and genocide" in Gaza, violating international treaties and law, and creating serious challenges for regional security and global peace, Pezeshkian called on European countries, especially Germany, to play an effective role in ending, instead of supporting, Israel's "genocide" in Gaza.

He said that Iran always considers itself duty-bound to comply with international rules and regulations.

While Iran welcomes the promotion of interactions with all countries and stresses the need to resolve problems through negotiations, it will never bow to pressure, sanctions, coercion, and aggression and reserves the right to respond to aggressors according to international law, he added.

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Scholz, for his part, congratulated Pezeshkian on his election as Iran's president and said his country is ready to improve bilateral relations in all areas.

Ensuring regional peace and security is among the priorities in Germany's approach towards the region and the world, he said, stressing the need to immediately stop the violence and reach a ceasefire in Gaza.  

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct 7, 2023.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip is nearing 40,000, according to Gaza-based health authorities.