ISLAMABAD: Close coordination was essential to help Afghanistan on path to peace, stability and development, foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart.

He received telephone call from Foreign Minister of Iran Dr. Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Monday and exchanged views on the regional security situation, particularly Afghanistan.

Iranian foreign minister invited Qureshi to participate in the second Ministerial meeting of the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, to be held in Tehran next week, stressing that Iran fully supported Pakistan’s initiative for a regional approach on Afghanistan.

Qureshi thanked his Iranian counterpart for the invitation and expressed the hope that the meeting would impart further impetus to the regional approach on the situation in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister underlined that sustained international engagement was essential in view of the evolving economic situation in Afghanistan.

He expressed the hope that the international community would ramp up provision of humanitarian assistance on urgent basis, in view of the upcoming winter season, and take steps to ensure economic stability in the country.

At the initiative of Pakistan, the first Ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan was held online on 8 September 2021 at which a joint statement was unanimously adopted. Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated. The Ministerial meeting was preceded by the virtual meeting of the Special Representatives/ Envoys of the six neighbouring countries.