TEHRAN – Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, visited the Tehran Times headquarters on Wednesday to explore potential collaborations. He met with the publication's CEO and Editor-in-Chief and participated in an interview with a Tehran Times correspondent.

During the interview, Ambassador Tipu expressed his confidence in the strong relationship between Iran and Pakistan, stating his belief that cooperation will continue to grow under the leadership of Iran's newly elected President, Masoud Pezeshkian. 

He emphasized the significance of the recent call between Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, which occurred just a few days after the Iranian politician emerged victorious in the July 5 elections, highlighting it as a testament to the depth of the bilateral ties.

The full text of the interview is available below:

1. The last time we spoke to you was during the administration of the late President Raisi. Now we have a new president-elect who spoke to Pakistan’s Prime Minister shortly after his victory in the July 5 elections. what are your predictions for the future of bilateral relations between the two countries under the new leadership in Iran?

Iran has a very promising future. As you know, honorable Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is deeply interested in strengthening and widening Pakistan’s relations with Iran. He very warmly welcomed President Raisi during his visit to Pakistan and both of them vowed to deepen ties between the two nations. Right after Dr. Pezeshkian took office, there was a phone call between him and Prime Minister Sharif. The fact that the call was one of the first between Dr. Pezeshkian and a foreign leader demonstrates the commitment of both sides to reinforce these critically important ties. The leadership in the two countries is planning to increase the volume of trade and also promote people-to-people ties, as well as solidify diplomatic relations. So, I think relations between Iran and Pakistan will be further expanded in the future. 

2. President Raisi’s visit to Pakistan in April was one of his last foreign visits which took place around a month before his tragic passing. President Raisi and Prime Minister Sharif signed a cooperation roadmap during the trip. Please tell us what concrete steps have been taken so far and what potential benefits you see for Iran-Pakistan relations stemming from this roadmap.

The bureaucracies take time. The road map needs time for implementation but what’s most important is political and strategic commitment and the views of the leaders. The views of honorable Prime Minister Sharif are very clear, and so are the views of the Iranian leadership. We signed almost 8 agreements and MOUs which were in wide-ranging areas including economy, security, trade, and health. I think that in the next couple of months and years, you will see very concrete development happening. As you know, in the early hours of Wednesday the 11th Joint Border Trade Committee meeting between Iran and Pakistan concluded in the city of Zahedan. One of the key elements of the meeting was that governments should improve facilities at the border so that trade can improve. Besides such joint committees, concentrated consultations are taking place between the two states on a host of affairs among political, economic, and military leaders. These are all signs that we are making very good progress. 

3. Pakistan maintains its right to energy exchange with Iran despite U.S. opposition to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. What concrete plans does Pakistan have to overcome this opposition and implement the project?

It's very important to recognize that Pakistan is a sovereign state and will take every decision in its own interest. We hold great significance to our bilateral ties with Iran as you are aware. On the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, we are having constructive negotiations. We are exchanging views and trying to examine different modalities. So, I am hopeful that there will be an outcome soon. 

4. Despite strong political and economic ties, social and cultural exchange between Iran and Pakistan remains limited. What strategies do you recommend to bridge this gap and foster greater understanding between the two nations?

This is precisely something I care a lot about. I think the bigger responsibility lies on us government officials.  Of course, academia and universities also share the responsibility. We should focus on how we can bring our people together particularly considering the fact that we have very deep historical ties. I tried to uphold part of my responsibilities today by coming here and talking to the leadership of the Tehran Times. We had vast discussions and tried to understand each other.  So, part of the deal is increasing interaction between the two sides. 

Another area which is very important is tourism. We have a huge potential in this regard as our countries are very blessed. Pakistan is a very beautiful country, and so is Iran. We are both rich in history and culture. What we need to do as governments is to inspire and educate people about the strengths of both countries. We should also tell them more about history and how we have made great contributions to each other’s well-being. 

5. What is your assessment of the current situation in Afghanistan? How can collaboration between Iran and Pakistan contribute to stability there?

Both Iran and Pakistan seek to promote stability in the region and promote peace and development in Afghanistan. I have to say that based on our mutual objectives, Tehran and Islamabad are constructively engaged on Afghanistan and consult on issues related to stability there. 

6. What is Pakistan's position on the latest Israeli war in Gaza? What actions, if any, has Pakistan taken to help the Palestinian people?

We have given humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza and at the same time showed strong diplomatic support coming out in all international forums to back the Palestinians. We have repeatedly asked that international law be respected and expressed our position that the war should come to an end. We have also engaged with Iran on this matter numerous times. Pakistan has serious concerns about the situation in Gaza and will try to help resolve the issue for peace and stability in the region.