Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi voiced his appreciation to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei for supporting peace in the South Asian region. RNA - In a meeting with outgoing Ambassador of Iran Mehdi Honardoost, Qureshi thanked Ayatollah Khamenei for supporting peace in the South Asian region, and underlined the need for continued consultations between Iran and Pakistan for enhanced bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
Honardoost paid a farewell visit on Qureshi at the foreign ministry in Islamabad.
The Pakistani foreign minister appreciated the services rendered by the Iranian Ambassador in promoting bilateral relations and cooperation.
Ambassador Honardoost during the meeting also admired Pakistan's role in establishing peace in the region and strengthening relations between the two countries.
He briefed the foreign minister on his efforts to strengthen ties between Iran and Pakistan during his four-year tenure in Islamabad.
He said Iran and Pakistan enjoy strong brotherly historic ties and both countries should explore their maximum potential for enhanced ties.
On Friday, Pakistan’s President Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi appreciated Iran's support for his country's regional policies, and said that Tehran enjoys a key priority in Islamabad's foreign policy.
The Pakistani president made the remarks during a farewell ceremony held for Honardoost.
“Broadening of relations with neighbors, specially Iran, is a priority for Islamabad's foreign policy,” President Alvi said.
The Pakistani president voiced his country’s satisfaction in Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei's decisive support Kashmir people.
“Tehran and Islamabad have closer ties in view of their religious, cultural commonalities,” he said.
Iran's outgoing ambassador, for his part, said that peace and stability is a major priority of Iran and Pakistan.
In a relevant development in late October, the Pakistani president in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani said that the Pakistani people have deep and long-standing relations with the Iranian people.
“We value and appreciate the Iranians’ resistance to obstacles and difficulties as they have overcome crises and challenges and can certainly overcome problems afterwards,” President Alvi said during the meeting with President Rouhani on the sidelines of the 18th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
According to Fars News Agency, the 18th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the NAM with the participation of the heads of 60 countries, including President Rouhani, kicked off in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday.
The NAM is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.
President Rouhani arrived in Baku on Thursday to attend the 18th NAM Summit, President Rouhani was invited to the NAM summit meeting by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.
At the NAM Baku Summit, the Republic of Azerbaijan will take over the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement for the next 3 years.
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