TEHRAN - Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has pointed to the importance of President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan, noting that Islamabad does not care about the United States sanctions and will do whatever is in line with its national interests.

Ishaq Dar addressed reporters at Pakistan’s parliament, saying that President Raisi’s trip to Pakistan is of great importance and that the government in Islamabad will provide leaders of opposition factions with the details and achievements of the visit.

Pointing to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, the minister said that Islamabad does not need to conceal the issue, arguing that the Iranian president’s trip to Pakistan proves speculations on misunderstanding between the two governments are unfounded.

Despite the fact that the gas pipeline has not been mentioned in the joint statement of the two countries at the end of President Raisi’s visit, the main issue is that Islamabad does not give importance to the U.S. sanctions and it will do whatever that is in line with its national interests.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif described President Raisi’s trip to Islamabad as very important and successful, underlining that his country is optimistic about finding a way to go ahead with the joint gas project with Iran.

The Pakistani defense minister also emphasized that his country does not give the slightest importance to foreign opposition to the Tehran-Islamabad cooperation.

Iran and Pakistan signed eight memoranda of understanding during the recent visit by an Iranian delegation headed by President Raisi.

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