Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday said that Pakistan seeks vigorous bilateral partnership with Iran to find durable and peaceful solutions to Afghanistan as well as economic prosperity of the entire region. "Robust Pak-Iran relation is inevitable for regional peace, security and prosperity," the Speaker added while speaking on the occasion of lunch hosted in honour of Jawad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran along with his delegation at Speaker's House, Islamabad.

Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar MNA and Ambassador of Iran in Pakistan, Mehdi Honardoost were also present in the meeting. The Speaker said that, "Pak-Iran Parliamentary engagement is highly imperative for promoting cohesion and stability in the entire region."

Discussing regional security and peace, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said, "Pakistan and Iran share views on the importance on the establishment of peace and security in the region and the reinforcement of unity in the Muslim world." "The regional issues should be resolved by the neighbouring countries themselves," he said. Referring to numerous capacities of both countries for co-operation, the speaker said, "Signing of banking agreement and declaration of Gawadar and Chabahar as sister ports are significant steps in line with using existing capacities in promoting bilateral ties."

Referring to warm relations between Iran and Pakistan, the Speaker remarked that, "Both countries are intertwined by stronger multi-dimensional relations and underlined the need for renewed commitment to diversification of strategic, trade, economic, cultural and Parliamentary relations in the face of regional and global challenges." He also recommended frequent exchange of delegations to assign substantive meanings to inter-Parliamentary relations.

He added that, "The strategic convergence of mutual interests has paved the way for a vibrant Pak-Iran regional partnership." Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zareef said that, "Iran considers Pakistan as its partner for peace in the region and expressed his hope that in future both nations will continue to chart the paths of prosperity together."

He reiterated Ayaz Sadiq's proposal for diversification of trade and economic relations and urged for comprehensive engagement of the Parliamentary committees to explore the avenues for mutual co-operation. Contending that Iran-Pakistan ties are influenced by the ancient and historical bonds between the two nations, Mohammad Jawad Zarif said, "The two nations have always stood alongside each other in difficult condition and bilateral ties are unbreakable."

Copyright News Network International, 2017