Iran Enjoying ‘Very Special Relations’ with Pakistan: Zarif
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is on an official visit to neighboring Pakistan, hailed the growing relations between the two countries and expressed the hope for closer ties in diverse economic fields.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Islamabad on Sunday, Zarif said Iran and Pakistan have dramatically increased their bilateral trade but there are still capacities that should be tapped.
The top diplomat further emphasized that the two countries are seeking to cement banking ties and move toward the free bilateral trade.
“Pakistan is a close neighbor of the Islamic Republic of Iran and we have very special relations with the country,” Zarif noted.
Zarif arrived in Islamabad on Sunday at the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation.
During his three-day visit and after participating in political and economic meetings in the Pakistani capital, Zarif plans to travel to the business and industrial hub of Karachi, where further economic talks have been scheduled.
In November 2017, Pakistan’s chief of army staff visited Tehran with a delegation of high-ranking military officials for talks with top Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri.
In 2016, senior officials from Iran and Pakistan signed six memorandums of understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas, including health, commerce, security and foreign services.
The documents were signed in a ceremony in Islamabad, attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the then Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.
