TEHRAN- Iran and Pakistan have struck “very good” agreements to advance ties in a number of areas and enhance the interests of the two nations, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.

Amir Abdollahian said as much over the phone with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, on Sunday.

The Pakistani government’s tremendous efforts to set up the essential conditions for Raisi’s formal visit were praised by the Iranian foreign minister. 

The senior Iranian diplomat stressed that Tehran and Islamabad had historical affinities as well as similarities in a range of cultural, social, and religious domains, which are seen as a major asset in bilateral relations. 

President Raisi’s visit to Pakistan, according to the foreign minister of Pakistan, will be a watershed in the history of ties between the two Muslim neighbors. 

Amir Abdollahian and Ishaq Dar conversed on the advancement of bilateral ties as well as regional concerns that both countries share. 

Raisi departed Tehran on Monday for a formal two-day visit to Islamabad, leading a high-ranking political-economic delegation. 

The president of Iran has met with the prime minister and president of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, as well as attended a combined meeting of the high-ranking delegations from both nations.

“Europeans must stop selling arms to Israel” 

In another phone call on Sunday, Amir Abdollahian and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen reviewed the latest developments in the region and the Tehran-Helsinki relations.

The Iranian foreign minister warned his Finnish counterpart that if European nations are serious about ending the Gaza war and promoting regional peace and sustained security, they must immediately cease providing arms to the Israeli regime. 

The Iranian foreign minister emphasized that Iran does not seek out tensions in the region, stating that the aggression and crimes committed by the Israeli regime against Gaza are the primary source of problems in the region. 

He also underlined that for peace to be established, the right strategy must be used, and conflicting actions and the use of double standards must be avoided. 

According to Amir Abdollahian, everyone should work to put an end to the conflict in Gaza, and as part of this effort, certain European nations ought to immediately cease providing weapons to the aggressor and the Israeli occupation regime, which uses those weapons to murder Palestinian women and children. 

The foreign minister of Iran came to the conclusion that this would put an end to the conflict in Gaza and assist restore security and stability in the region. 

According to Valtonen, nobody benefits from the ongoing hostilities in West Asia, and Finland opposes any action that might heighten tensions in the region. 

The foreign minister of Finland stated that her nation is extremely concerned about the ongoing hostilities in the region because they may lead to a higher risk of civilian fatalities. 

She emphasized the need for peace in the region and brought up issues about the rising death toll among civilians in Gaza and the appalling state of the Palestinian enclave’s humanitarian conditions. 

She also demanded that a cease-fire should be established in Gaza as soon as feasible and without any restrictions.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in at least 34,097 Palestinian deaths and 76,980 injuries. 

Tehran favors stability in Balkan

Amir Abdollahian congratulated Ivica Dacic on the formation of the new Serbian parliament over the phone with his Serbian counterpart on Sunday, stating that Tehran values its relationship with Belgrade.

He also noted that Tehran is willing to fortify its relations with Serbia and that Tehran has a clear policy of promoting stability and security in the Balkans. 

Amir Abdollahian expanded on Tehran’s approach to the Balkans while highlighting Iran’s tenet of upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations, particularly Serbia. 

According to him, Iran’s official policy in the Balkans is to uphold the region’s stability and security and encourage harmony between all ethnic groups and religious adherents. 

For his part, the top diplomat of Serbia praised the close communication between the two nations’ high-ranking officials at various levels. 

Serbia declares its complete solidarity with Iran, according to Dacic. 

He also attacked certain Western governments for using international organizations as a political pressure tool against sovereign states, as well as for applying double standards. 

The Serbian minister emphasized that independent governments must stand together more strongly when facing coercive measures.