‘President Raisi promoted regional cooperation’

Islamabad:Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam, Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, has said that regional cooperation remained the key agenda during the tenure of Late President Dr Ebrahim Raisi and Late Dr Amir Abdollahian, Foreign Minister of Iran.

Dr Amiri was addressing as chief guest at a memorial seminar on Iranian President Raisi organised by Institute of Regional Studies in collaboration with Asian Institute of Eco-Civilisation Research and Development (AIERD) here Wednesday. The session was moderated by Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, CEO, AIERD.

Dr Amiri said commitment to regional cooperation was reflected by 28 official visits that President Raisi undertook to other states. The Iranian Ambassador stressed that President Raisi’s visit to Pakistan was his most extensive visit in which he visited three cities and met top political and military leadership of the country including the President, Prime Minister, Chairperson Senate, Speaker National Assembly and Army Chief. Furthermore, MoU’s related to security, free trade agreement, economic cooperation and promoting tourism were the attestation to the strong brotherly ties which both Pakistan and Iran share, he expressed. He also praised Late President’s ambition of prioritising regional cooperation through SCO, Caspian Sea Summit and BRICS.

Dr Amiri assured that the new government in Iran would uphold the legacy of President Raisi and continue to promote cooperation vis-à-vis regional states and Pakistan. The impediments in regional cooperation, especially the role of external powers, would be subsided, he added.

Mohammad Mudassir Tipu, Pakistani Ambassador to Iran, speaking on line from Tehran highlighted President Raisi's dedicated efforts to bolster the enduring cultural and ideological bond with Pakistan. He explained that President Raisi and other Iranian officials shared the deep sense of respect for Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal. Ambassador Tipu said President Raisi’s stance on increasing bilateral trade with Pakistan to $10 billion annually and his interest in fostering the security cooperation with Afghanistan exemplified his commitment to economic cooperation and regional stability.

Earlier in his welcoming address, Jauhar Saleem, President IRS, lauded the “Neighbourhood Policy” of President Raisi. He pointed out that IRS was the first institution that to arranged a seminar on President Raisi’s neighbourhood vision. During his tenure, Iran’s diplomatic achievements had been remarkable including revival of ties with UAE and Egypt and rapprochement with Saudi Arabia in 2023, he said. Mr Jauhar also highlighted that Iran’s relations towards its east, especially with Pakistan remained cordial which were further solidified after his visit to Pakistan. Zahid Latif Khan, Chairperson, AIERD also spoke on the occasion.