Iranian Foreign Minister sat down with his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian sat down with his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad during his trip to Pakistan.

In the meeting, Amirabdollahian expressed his gratitude to Jilani for his warm welcome and hospitality, highlighting cordial relations between the two countries.

“Today, we are in your beautiful country to give you a clear message, and that is our friendship and cooperation are strategic and lasting, and nothing can change that,” said the Iranian foreign minister.

 “The recent incident between the two countries provided an opportunity for Iran and Pakistan to discuss security along their common national borders more seriously,” said the top Iranian diplomat.

“We regard Pakistan’s security as our own, and one of the brilliant points in the history of the two countries is that Iran and Pakistan have never had border disputes,” Amirabdollahian explained.

 He underlined the necessity of implementing the agreements reached by the two sides, adding, “Terrorism has targeted the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Pakistan and Iran. A lot of people from both nations have been martyred while fighting terrorism and safeguarding national security. So, it is essential that both countries’ borders, through joint anti-terror measures, turn into borders for peace, security, friendship and economic as well as trade exchanges.

 On political and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries, Amirabdollahian noted the formation of a high political committee at the level of foreign ministers and holding high-level border meetings in the Iranian and Pakistani capitals will set the stage for the promotion of cooperation on political, military and security fronts.

 “In line with boosting economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries, the opening of border markets and terminals, the establishment of free trade zones and the holding of an Iran-Pakistan joint economic commission should top the agenda of mutual cooperation,” said Amirabdollahian.

 He als called for boosting multilateral cooperation at regional and international levels.

 The Pakistani foreign minister, in turn, highlighted the numerous cultural and religious bonds between the two countries, saying respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of the two countries is among the principles of partnership between Iran and Pakistan.

 He expressed regret over the recent incident between the two countries, and said Pakistan, by no means, wants the ongoing tensions between Iran and Pakistan to continue.

 He said if the agreements between the two sides had been implemented, the current situation would not have emerged.

 He underlined that Iran and Pakistan cannot set aside decades of friendship and brotherhood, adding Islamabad stands firm behind Tehran and that the two sides have common ground during multilateral meetings and on international issues.

 In the end, Jilani extended an invitation from Senior Pakistani officials to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Pakistan.