ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, underscoring the close brotherly relations, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen the ties with Iran, with particular focus on enhancing economic cooperation.
The prime minister, in a meeting with Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who called on him here, recalled the joint inauguration, with President Ebrahim Raisi, of the Mand-Pishin border marketplace on May 18 this year.
He 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 the 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 Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was a unique and most suitable platform to play that role, he added.
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 among 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.