TEHRAN (FNA)- Trans-regional countries are afraid of close ties between Islamic states like Iran and Pakistan, Governor General of Iran’s Southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan Ahmad Ali Mohebati said, adding that such players are intending to create division between Tehran and Islamabad.
The aliens do not want Islamic states such as Iran and Pakistan make progress and are trying to create discord and insecurity, Mohebati said on Thursday in a meeting with a visiting Pakistani delegation in the provincial capital city of Zahedan.
He added that Iran and Pakistan have numerous cultural, religious and historic commonalities and boosting bilateral relations will pave the way for development of the Iranian province and Pakistani province of Baluchistan.
He went on recounting that cultural and religious commonalities indicate solidarity and affection between the two neighboring states.
“Iranian people respect individuals such as Iqbal Lahouri and Mohammad Ali Jinah and other Pakistani figures, as the Pakistanis respect late founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini and Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei,” he said.
There are latent but significant capacities in Gwadar and Makran ports, discovering which can be beneficial both for the two nations and the entire world, he said, noting that investment in them as complementary to each other can benefit both Iran and Pakistan.
Last 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 outgoing Iranian Ambassador to Islamabad Mehdi Honardoust.
“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).
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.