*ISLAMABAD – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will arrive on atwo-day visit of Pakistan on Thursday (today).*

The visiting foreign minister will hold talks with Pakistan’s ForeignMinister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a one-on-one meeting to discuss bilateralrelations and expansion of cooperation in various fields.

Zarif will also meet Prime Minister Imran Khan. PM Khan has expressedintention to improve and strengthen Pakistan’s ties with neighboringcountry Iran.

Zarif is also expected to hold meetings with political and military leadersduring his visit of Pakistan.

It is first visit of Pakistan by a foreign minister after installation ofthe new government in Islamabad.

Announcing the visit earlier in August, Foreign Minister Qureshi said thatthe Iran and Pakistan maintain brotherly ties and the two countries areinterested in keeping security along the common borders.

A key barometer of the improving ties for Iran is whether Pakistan step upfor the long-stalled Iran-Pakistan natural gas pipeline—a project firstinitiated in 1995. The $7.5 billion project, touted as delivering 21.5million cubic metres of gas to energy-starved Pakistan, has been opposed bythe US for years as part of Washington’s opposition to Iran’s nuclearprogramme.

Mr Zarif is likely to be keen on re-starting the project, as it willprovide much-needed income to an Iranian economy under siege from USsanctions.