COAS, Iranian FM reaffirm to bar any spoilers to divide brotherly nations

Pak-Iran collaborative approaches imperative to confront terrorism: Jilani

RAWALPINDI (APP): Foreign Minister of Iran Amir Abdollahian called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir here at the General Headquarters on Monday. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the resolve to remain closely engaged and not allow any spoilers to drive a wedge between the brotherly nations, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

“Pakistan and Iran are fraternal neighbours, and the destiny of both nations are intertwined,” both the dignitaries resolved. Realizing the historical, religious and cultural ties that bind Pakistan and Iran, both sides emphasized on strengthening bilateral ties and fostering greater understanding of each other’s concerns. The COAS underscored the centrality of respecting the other state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling it sacrosanct, inviolable and the most important cardinal of state-to-state relationship. The two sides observed that terrorism was a common threat that needed to be tackled through collaborative efforts, better coordination and intelligence sharing. The COAS emphasized the need for sustained engagement and utilizing available communication channels to address security concerns. Both sides agreed to operationalize the mechanism of deployment of military liaison officers in each other’s country at an early date to improve coordination and efficiency of response against common threats. Both sides reiterated their commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the border region which was identified as an indispensable requirement for the well-being of people living on both sides.

Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday called on Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Underscoring close relations between Pakistan and Iran, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further consolidate bilateral ties.

He also emphasized the need to address common challenges through collaborative and cooperative approaches, rooted in the respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, in particular territorial integrity and sovereignty of both Pakistan and Iran.

The prime minister conveyed his warm sentiments for President Ebrahim Raisi and extended an invitation for him to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Monday underlined the imperative for collective and collaborative approaches to confront terrorism that posed a common challenge to both Pakistan and Iran.

During a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who is on an official visit to Pakistan at the invitation of FM Jilani, he stressed that robust institutional mechanisms between the two countries on security cooperation should be fully leveraged, a Foreign Office statement said.

The senior officials from both sides were present at the meeting.

Underscoring the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran, FM Jilani reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepen and broaden the existing wide-ranging cooperation with Iran.

The two foreign ministers agreed to immediately appoint liaison officers in Turbat and Zahidan to further strengthen ongoing security and intelligence cooperation.

Noting that security and development are intrinsically interlinked, they also agreed to expand initiatives for economic and development cooperation, including through early operationalization of the joint border markets to uplift the socio-economic status of the people of both countries, especially those residing in the border regions.

The two sides also decided to establish a Joint Coordination Mechanism at the level of foreign ministers to oversee and steer progress on a common agenda for the prosperity and development of the two peoples.

Regular high-level engagements provide a leadership-driven impetus to the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran. In this backdrop, the foreign minister renewed the invitation to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to undertake a visit to Pakistan.