ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Monday hoped that Pakistan and Iran would continue efforts for dealing with cross-border challenges and high level visits will further strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries.
He was talking to Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Iran Major General Muhammad Hossein Bagheri who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The President emphasized that Pakistan and Iran enjoy close, cordial and fraternal relations based on a shared faith, culture and history.He further stated that relations between both countries have seen a new era especially after Iranian President s visit to Pakistan and Pakistan s Chief of Army Staff s visit to Iran last year.
He underlined that objective of Gwadar Port project was to enhance connectivity between different countries of the region and this project will be beneficial for the whole region.The President stated that a stable Afghanistan is in the best interest of the region. Pakistan supports Afghan owned, Afghan led peace and reconciliation process, he added.He said that as neighbours of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran were committed to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan. We look forward to enhance our cooperation with Iran for peace and prosperity in the region, he added.
Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri also called on Foreign Minister Abdullah Hussain Haroon. The foreign minister said Pakistan desired to further strengthen cooperation with Iran in areas of mutual interest for the benefit of two countries and to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri was accompanied by a high level military delegation, Foreign Office in a press release said. Welcoming the Iranian chief of general staff, the foreign minister said Pakistan and Iran enjoyed religious and socio-cultural affinities. The bilateral relations continued to strengthen with regular exchange of visits at various levels during the past few years, he added. The foreign minister appreciated the Iranian leadership s strong and consistent support on the issue of Kashmir. The two sides also discussed issues related to peace and stability in Afghanistan and other matters of mutual interest in the region.
\During the meeting, it was noted that both countries had made useful progress in areas of trade, connectivity, cultural relations and enhancing people-to-people contacts. There was a considerable scope to enhance these relations further. Haroon also briefed major general Mohammad Bagheri on the upcoming general election in Pakistan, expressing the desire of the government to hold free, fair and transparent elections. General Bagheri conveyed the best wishes of the Iranian leadership and people of Iran for continued prosperity and progress of Pakistan. He expressed the confidence that the upcoming elections would usher Pakistan into an era of continued growth under strong leadership. He thanked Pakistan for its principled stance on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
