TEHRAN (IRNA) – Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that in the absence of Iran, no program will be effective to establish peace and stability in the region, especially in Afghanistan.

He made the remarks in a meeting with First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, who is in Istanbul to attend the ongoing Afghan Neighbors Conference.
Rahimi stressed the need to develop ties with the brotherly country of Pakistan in all fields and pointed out that Pakistan is of high significance for Iran.
He hoped that the problems of the country will soon be solved.
Stating that further stability in Pakistan is in the interest of Iran, Rahimi said, “We should strive to solve problems in the way of the expansion of bilateral relations.
Exchange of political and economic delegations can strengthen two-way bonds, he noted.
Zardari said that Pakistan attaches importance to friendly ties with Iran and described the Islamic Republic of Iran as an important country in the region.
“Solving regional problems is impossible in the absence of Iran,” he said.
On Afghanistan, Rahimi said that Iran considers peace and stability in Afghanistan as its own peace and stability.
In a meeting with Afghan President Hamed Karzai on the sidelines of Conference of Afghan neighbors late on Tuesday, he underlined expansion of mutual cooperation in different fields.
Describing regional cooperation as essential for establishing peace and stability in the region, he said that Iran believes that Afghan problems will be solved through cooperation and humanitarian solutions.
Karzai, for his part, appreciated Iran’s stance toward the Afghan peace and security.
Referring to Iran’s determining role in the region, he called for deepening bilateral ties.
The Istanbul Friendship and Cooperation Conference, comprised of leaders and officials of Afghan neighbors, the host country, and of course Afghanistan, plus Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and some other countries opened in Istanbul on January 26 and will work until January 27.