Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Monday that Iran respects Pakistan’s sovereignty and no one will be allowed to threaten the common security of the two countries. He added that there was ‘no doubt’ that third countries were supporting militants in the region around the Pak-Iran border.
“There is no doubt that the terrorists located in the common border regions and areas of Iran and Pakistan are led and supported by third countries and they never favour any good action in line with the benefits of the Iranian and Pakistani governments and nations,” Abdollahian said in a press conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani after talks between the two countries’ delegations.
Abdollahian’s visit comes days after the countries exchanged air strikes and recalled envoys.
“We will tell all terrorists in a loud voice that Iran and Pakistan will not provide them any opportunity to endanger our common security,” the minister added.
The minister said it would be hard to find any two countries with as deep cultural ties as Pakistan and Iran have. He also said that the two countries have never had a territorial conflict.
“Our historical bilateral relations testify that we are a single nation located in two different geographical locations,” he said.
He said that both countries have incurred huge losses to terrorism. He said that the two sides have met to stress the importance of more cooperation on border security.
Jilani said that Abdollahian’s visit at such short notice was a testament to the deep ties between the two countries, which were based on brotherhood.
He said that the two sides had held detailed talks which had been marked by convergence of all issues of mutual interest.
Jilani said close ties were necessary of development of the people of the two countries and for the stability of the region. He also said that thw two countries have resolved to expand their cooperation.
He arrived in Islamabad on Monday for bilateral talks, days after his country exchanged airstrikes with Pakistan.
Amir-Abdollahian was received by Jilani at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The two Foreign Ministers will hold comprehensive talks to enhance bilateral dialogue and engagement and to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations,” MoFA said in a statement.
In an earlier statement, MoFA said that the Iranian FM was visiting Pakistan on Jilani’s invitation and that he would also call on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar.
The visit could be seen as a normalisation of ties between the two countries which had become strained after Iran carried out missile strikes in Balochistan.
Pakistan responded by expelling the Iranian ambassador, calling back its envoy from Iran and launching strikes of its own into Iranian territory.
However, things cooled down after both countries engaged diplomatically. The visit of the Iran FM was organised after both ambassadors reassumed their charges.
