Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has stressed the importance of strengthening relations with Pakistan, saying the two countries should make more efforts to remove obstacles in the way of achieving that goal, Trend reports citing Press TV.
“Tehran-Islamabad relations in the economic field must reach a higher level than the current one and the two sides should not be satisfied with the current volume of trade and economic relations,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Tehran on Tuesday.
The two countries should make further efforts and develop better mechanisms for enhanced trade and economic cooperation, he added.
Rouhani hailed the cordial relations between the two Muslim nations as a valuable asset which can be used to improve cooperation in different fields.
The Iranian president said positive developments have been made to enhance security in common borders and expressed confidence that given the two countries’ firm resolve, they can easily confront smugglers and those who create insecurity in border areas.
He then touched upon regional issues and said, “We believe that in regional issues and relations, all [countries] must cooperate with each other to establish peace, tranquility and stability.”
The Pakistani chief of army staff, for his part, said no country can affect relations between the two neighbors and called for more efforts to deepen ties among Muslim states.
He added that Pakistan would use all capacities and different methods to expand trade and economic cooperation.
Bajwa, who is in Iran at the head of a high-ranking military and security delegation, also held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday.
The two sides discussed the expansion of political, economic and military ties besides border security and regional cooperation.