News / Politics

Iran, Pakistan FMs ink five-year strategic plan for commercial cooperation

Thursday, 03 August 2023 10:22 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 03 August 2023 5:00 PM ]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) and his Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari exchange documents in Islamabad on August 3, 2023.

The top Iranian and Pakistani diplomats have exchanged views on a range of issues, among them bilateral relations and the security of the border between the two neighboring countries, and signed a five-year strategic plan for commercial cooperation.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with his Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in Islamabad on Thursday.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the latest bilateral political, economic and defense issues, including the development of trade ties, the exchange of prisoners, and the security of the common border.

Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that the agreements reached between the two countries to strengthen border security will provide a suitable ground for the development of relations.

He further noted that his meeting is aimed at facilitating the implementation of 190 documents already signed between Iran and Pakistan and reaching a sustainable and long-term cooperation deal.

“Under the government of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi, the volume of economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries has increased by more than 50 percent,” he said, adding that Iranian and Pakistani officials want to see further expansion of ties in the future given existing capacities.

Zardari, for his part, called for the formation of a strategic committee to follow up on agreements on the expansion of cooperation, including those in the defense and commercial fields.

He also welcomed the opening of border markets and hailed Aimr-Abdollahian’s trip as “very beneficial.”

At the end of their meeting, the two ministers signed a five-year strategic plan for Iran-Pakistan commercial cooperation.

Amir-Abdollahian and Zardari are also expected to take part in a press conference after the meeting.

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Visit of Iranian Foreign Minister to Pakistan

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Amir-Abdollahian is also scheduled to hold talks with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, army commander Asim Munir, and the speaker of the National Assembly, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

Accompanied by a high-ranking political, parliamentary and economic delegation, the Iranian foreign minister arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for an official visit.

Speaking upon his arrival in Islamabad, he praised a “new chapter” in Tehran-Islamabad ties.

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