Amir Abdollahian in Pakistan, Praises New Chapter in Tehran-Islamabad Ties

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has arrived in Pakistan at the head of a high-ranking delegation as he praised a “new chapter” in bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries.

Amir Abdollahian, accompanied by a high-ranking political, parliamentary and economic delegation, arrived in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday and was warmly received by a number of senior Pakistani government and military officials.

Amir Abdollahian’s three-day official visit to Islamabad comes at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Upon his arrival in Islamabad, the top Iranian diplomat elaborated on the goals of his trip to Pakistan and said economic negotiations between the two sides had been initiated two days earlier with the presence of an Iranian delegation.

Amir Abdollahian stressed that he plans to hold broad talks with Pakistan’s senior officials on political and economic issues as well as border security and tourism.

“Considering the diversity of topics in the relations between the two countries and great commonalities between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan, I believe we will witness a new chapter in bilateral ties between the governments of President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistan's honorable prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif],” the Iranian foreign minister said.

Besides meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Amir Abdollahian is also scheduled to hold talks with Pakistan’s premier, Pakistan's army commander Asim Munir and the speaker of the National Assembly, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.