Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reaffirms his country’s commitment
to strengthen relations with Pakistan

TEHRAN, (MANEND NEWS): Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani has
reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthen relations with
Pakistan in the areas of trade, investment and border management.
He was talking to Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi
who called on him at the presidential palace in Tehran on Wednesday.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi in his remarks said both the countries enjoy
cordial and strong relations deep rooted in common history, culture,
faith and language.
The Foreign Minister thanked the Iranian leadership for consistently
supporting the principled stance of Kashmiri people.
Meanwhile according to a statement issued by official website of the
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasising the need to
ensure peace and stability in the region with a focus on regional
mechanisms, Dr. Hassan Rouhani stressed the need to ensure security
in the borders of Iran and Pakistan, and said, “Security is a common
concern of the two countries, and the development of relations in this
regard is imperative”.
Dr. Hassan Rouhani stressed the importance of cooperation with the
country as a Muslim neighbour of Iran, emphasising the development
and deepening of relations between the two countries in various fields,
including economic relations and trade, as well as the development
and strengthening of border markets”.
Referring to the US’ decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, Dr.
Rouhani said that the US military presence in the region has not
helped maintain security and stability, adding, “The Islamic Republic of
Iran welcomes cooperation with Pakistan and Afghanistan to play its
role in this regard”.
“Iran and Pakistan, as two most important and effective neighbouring
countries of Afghanistan, should increase cooperation and interaction
for the development of the peace process in the country,” he added.
During the meeting, the President also referred to the previous
agreements between the two countries aimed at developing
cooperation, and stressed the need to implement and operationalise
the agreements and the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to
meet Pakistan’s energy needs.

In the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan described
the relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran as unique, valuable and
brotherly, and emphasised on strengthening and consolidating these
relations in all fields of mutual interest.
Referring to the emphasis of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on
further development of relations with Iran, Shah Mahmood Qureshi
expressed hope that in the near future, bilateral relations will enter a
new phase and we will witness new achievements in the development
of relations between the two countries, especially in commercial and
economic fields.
The Pakistani Foreign Minister also praised Iran’s position in supporting
Pakistan on regional and international issues, declaring his country’s
support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a major
achievement of diplomacy in the world, saying, “We are very happy
that with Iran’s efforts, the JCPOA has survived, and that today, talks
to revive this multilateral agreement is happening”.