Riffat Masood, during an exclusive interview with IRNA soon after formulation of the new government in Pakistan said that the common border of the two countries has as an excellent capacity to expand trade cooperation.
Meanwhile new Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif in his maiden speech in the parliament had vowed to further enhance trade ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Pakistani diplomat and first woman ambassador to Iran Riffat Masood described her stay in Iran as the best part of her life, adding Persian is actually my mother tongue as our ancestors came from Iran many years ago.
She also considered the long-standing friendship as the main asset of Iran-Pakistan public relations and the guarantee of eternal friendship between the two neighboring countries.
Riffat Masood said that change of governments both in Iran and Pakistan has no impact on bilateral ties and there is a strong bond of friendship between people of the two countries who live together forever.
She added that in the past, there may have been challenges in developing relations and exploiting each other's capacities, but today we can say with confidence that good relations between Iran and Pakistan have entered a new phase.
The diplomat noted both countries have expanded joint cooperation in various fields like economic, trade, border, defense, security, and counterterrorism areas.
Recalling the opening of two new border crossings between the two countries over the past year, the former ambassador of Pakistan to Iran said that it facilitates the movement of people, including pilgrims and the tourism community of Iran and Pakistan.
Riffat Masood said regular consultations have taken place between Tehran and Islamabad over the past years on the issue of terrorism, border management, security cooperation, trade relations, trade, and tariff issues.
Expressing satisfaction with the return of Pakistani pilgrims to Iranian cities, Riffat Masood called for revolutionary steps to develop tourism industry between the two neighbors, adding Iran has a valuable position among Pakistanis and I believe there is a lot of room for development of tourism.
She said there are lots of historical, cultural, and tourist attractions in Iran.
The barter trade mechanism will not have a positive impact on the investment sector between the two countries; we need to strengthen financial exchange and to advance this option. Trade in local currency is proposed, a mechanism which is used for trade between Pakistan and China, she said.
The diplomat added that Pakistani officials are determined to find ways to boost trade with Iran and remove obstacles along the way.
Expressing confidence in the progress in security cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad, especially the visits of high-ranking military delegations of Iran and Pakistan, Riffat Masood stressed strengthening intelligence cooperation between the two neighbors is important.
Recalling the two official visits of the Pakistani army commander to Tehran and General Bagheri's two official visits to Islamabad, she said both neighbors are determined to defeat the conspiracies of their enemies.
Riffat Masood has a 35-year career in diplomacy and began her first mission outside Pakistan in 1991 in the United Kingdom, ending her term as Pakistan's ambassador to Tehran.
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