ISLAMABAD (ONLINE) -- Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mashallah Shakiri has said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on an official visit to Sri Lanka, will make a four-hour stopover in Pakistan to discuss matters of mutual interest with special focus on energy cooperation with Pakistani leadership today (Monday).

Addressing the press conference here at Iranian consulate on Saturday, he said, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during four-hour visit to Pakistan would meet Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
In 2006, the then President of Iran visited Pakistan but after that no Pakistani ruler paid official visit to Iran, however, President Pervez Musharraf during official visit to Turkey had a brief stopover in Iran, he said.
The forthcoming visit of Iranian President to Pakistan is in response of Musharraf?s brief visit to Iran, he said, adding that, the Iranian President would pay official visit to Pakistan followed by official visit of Pakistani President to Iran.
Answering to a question, he said, Iranian President have no schedule to meet Co-Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif, however, it depend upon the hosts.
Issues related to establishment of peace, multi billion-dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, and bilateral cooperation would come under discussion during talks of Iranian President with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, he told media men.
Signature on IPI gas pipeline project is not in agenda, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mashallah Shakiri while replying to another question. When asked about Iran-Pakistan bus service, he said, Iran is fully prepared to launch bus service from Quetta and Zahedan while Government of Balochistan is not ready so far, he said. It is our desire to start bus service as soon as possible, he maintained.
Iranian President during visit to Pakistan, he said, would also be accompanied by high level delegation comprised on Iranian Foreign Minister, Trade Minister, Petroleum Minister, Power and Energy Minister and authorities of Export Import Bank of Pakistan.
Commenting on Iran nuclear issue, he said, the section imposed by Security Council of United Nations are illegal. The section would not affect Iran because she is self sufficient in resources, he concluded.