Tehran/Islamabad - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq underlined that Iran attaches importance to security in the neighbouring country.
“Pakistan’s security is of great significance for the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Zarif said in the meeting, held in Tehran on Saturday, reported Iranian media. He also hailed the “very good” relations between Tehran and Islamabad in all fields, saying Iran is ready to further develop the ties in political, economic, security and parliamentary spheres.
He also added that Iran and Pakistan enjoy very good relations not only in the diplomatic arena but also in parliamentary, security and economic sectors, expressing the Islamic Republic’s readiness to further expand such ties.
“We are ready to export electricity and (natural) gas to Pakistan and would welcome Islamabad’s participation in the project to develop the Chabahar Port,” he went on to say.
Tehran has plans to turn the port city of Chabahar, located in the Gulf of Oman on the border with Pakistan, into a transit hub for easier access to markets in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean and Central Asia. India and Afghanistan have already signed an agreement with Iran to contribute to the development of the port.
The Pakistani speaker, for his part, hailed the “brotherly and friendly” ties with Iran and said the two countries share views on establishment of peace and stability in the region and the need for unity in the Muslim world.
He called on Iran to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is a collection of infrastructure projects currently under construction throughout Pakistan.
Zarif and Sadiq also stressed the necessity for jointly combating terrorism and extremism.
APP adds: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has stressed on enhancing trade and commercial ties between Iran and Pakistan to bring the two neighbouring Muslim countries closer in all other spheres of mutual concern.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq made these remarks during his formal talks with Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani in Majlis on Saturday at the start of the three-day official bilateral visit of Pakistan's parliamentary delegation to Iran.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who arrived in the Iranian capital held a busy round of meetings with the top parliamentary and political leadership, discussing critical issues of border security, Afghanistan, Middle East situation, Yemen and Syrian crisis, trade and commerce and other issues of mutual concern, says a fax message received in Islamabad from Iran.
During his meeting with Speaker Larijani, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stressed on the two sides to work closely for the progress of the two nations and for the entire Muslim World. "We must not fall prey to the sectarian divide and think for Muslim unity and prosperity," said the speaker.
He lamented the fact that though the two countries shared a common border of over 920 kms and yet the trade volume between the two neighbours was disappointingly low.
He noted that the recent Joint Economic Commission had set the target of taking the bilateral trade volume to the figure of five billion US dollars. However, given the existing potential, this could easily be raised to three times.
He stressed on the Iranian side to lift the tariff barriers on Pakistani exports of rice, citrus, fruits, cotton and other items. He also invited Iran to join the CPEC to boost Iranian exports.
Citing the long-standing religious, cultural and emotional ties between the two nations, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reaffirmed Pakistan's support to Iran for regional peace and Iran's sovereignty. "There are powers who do not want peace in the Muslim world and we must understand this greater international conspiracy," said Ayaz Sadiq.
The speaker, talking on Afghanistan issue, said that regional issues should be resolved by the countries of the region without interference of any foreign involvement. He also highlighted the condition of Muslims in Occupied Kashmir and said Pakistan considers solution of Kashmir issue through UN resolutions and political dialogue.
Speaker Ali Larijani also welcomed parliamentary delegation and extended Iran's cooperation and support in his remarks.
He praised Sardar Ayaz Sadiq's frank approach and said that he fully trusted the sincerity of his Pakistani counterpart."You speak from your heart so I believe in every word of yours," said Speaker Larijani.
The two speakers have agreed to provide the parliamentary imputes to the ongoing peace initiatives and in this regard, Iran declared its support to Pakistan's parliamentary initiative of a quadrilateral Parliamentary Peace Conference of China, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
