PM Shehbaz reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen ties with Iran

ISLAMABAD, August 03 (SABAH): Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian called on the Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Thursday.

Underscoring the close brotherly relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen these ties, with particular focus on enhancing cooperation in the economic domain. Recalling the joint inauguration, with President Ebrahim Raisi, of the Mand-Pishin border marketplace on 18 May 2023, the Prime Minister stressed that initiatives aimed at economic uplift of the border areas, were a tangible manifestation of the shared priority to collectively work for the betterment of our two peoples.

Noting that President Raisi’s policy of ‘Neighborhood First’ was fully aligned with his vision of a secure, prosperous and interconnected region, the Prime Minister stressed the importance for Pakistan and Iran leveraging their unique geographical location to promote mutually reinforcing goals of regional peace and prosperity, through greater trade and enhanced regional connectivity. The Prime Minister added that the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was uniquely placed to play this role.

Expressing deep concern at the rising incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred, the Prime Minister underlined Pakistan’s firm resolve to work with other Islamic countries, including Iran, in articulating a unified view against such despicable acts, aimed at sowing disharmony and divisions within communities and between societies.

Pakistan-Iran relations are characterized by frequent exchanges at the leadership level, commonality of views on important regional and global issues and strengthened cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.