TEHRAN – Ali Larijani, Iran’s parliament speaker, said on Monday that Tehran and Islamabad should strengthen cooperation to boost security at common border areas to avoid potential sabotage acts.

Larijani made the remarks during a meeting with a team of Pakistani lawmakers in Tehran.

Larijani also said the Iran-Pakistan parliamentary friendship group can help strengthen parliamentary ties between two countries, Tasnim reported. 

Larijani further said the volume of trade between the two countries should increase, adding that a banking mechanism needs to be created for the purpose.

During the meeting, Syed Naveed Qamar, who leads the Pakistani parliamentary delegation, briefed the Iranian parliament speaker about his earlier meetings with parliamentary and government authorities and discussions on various issues of mutual interest.

Qamar said the friendship group was acting as ambassadors of Iran in Pakistan’s parliament.

He also noted that the mechanisms regarding “barter trade” and “border markets” were being worked out.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been seeking to deescalate tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He visited Iran last month for the purpose. He held talks with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

Pakistan has close relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

NA/PA