Shah Mahmood Qureshi who began his regional tour on Saturday left for Iran after successfully completing a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Before leaving for Iran, the Foreign Minister sent an important video message regarding the aims and objectives of his third official visit to Iran.
“I am very grateful to the Foreign Minister of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, for visiting Pakistan several times,” he said.
“We had very important meetings,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi added.
He said: Today I am leaving for Iran where I will have the opportunity to discuss the situation in the region with the Iranian leadership.
Qureshi said there have been many new developments in the Afghan peace process and which is very important to both Iran and Pakistan.
“I will also have the opportunity to know their views in this regards and our aim is to create uniformity in strategy after consultations on Afghanistan,” added the foreign minister.
“I would like to thank the Supreme Leader of Iran who has taken a very clear and unequivocal stand on the Kashmir issue and has always supported the position of Pakistan,” he said.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressing his views said Iran is not only Pakistan's neighbor but also a tried and tested friend.
He said Iran has approved Pakistan's proposal for setting up of border markets.
“We will strive to make our bilateral relations stronger and more stable than ever before,” added Qureshi.
Meanwhile Pakistan Foreign Ministry in a statement on Tuesday said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is undertaking an official visit to Iran on 20-22 April, 2021 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dr. Javad Zarif.
“During the visit, the Foreign Minister will have delegation-level talks with Foreign Minister Zarif. He will also call on President Dr. Hassan Rouhani and Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The Foreign Minister will also visit the city of Mashhad,” it said.
The statement added during the delegation-level talks, the two Foreign Ministers would review bilateral relations with a view to further deepening cooperation in diverse fields.
“The two sides will discuss regional security situation including the latest developments in the Afghan Peace Process and the Kashmir dispute. They will also deliberate on strengthening regional cooperation under the umbrella of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO),” it said.
The statement further said Foreign Minister Qureshi’s visit to Iran is part of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Zarif visited Pakistan in November 2020 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Qureshi, while the two Foreign Ministers met on 30 March 2021 on the sidelines of 9th session of Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process Ministerial Conference in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Foreign Minister Qureshi last visited Iran in January 2020.
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