ISLAMABAD -- A Pakistani bus left the northwestern city of Peshawar for the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday, marking first ever bus link between the two cities, IRNA reported.

The weekly bus service would run through the southwestern city of Quetta and cross into Iran at the border near Taftan.

According to the Islamabad-based daily `The News`, Syed Abu al-Hasan Jafri, a spokesman for Iranian Consulate in Peshawar said the service would increase contacts between the two counties. Peshawar is situated, close to Afghan border and the trip from Peshawar to Tehran would take three days.

Bus services to Iran already run from the eastern city of Lahore and Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, which borders Iran, said the Iranian embassy spokesman.

Pakistani Muslims, particularly Shiites usually travel to Iran and Iraq to pay homage to religious sites.

It is pertinent the relations between Iran and Pakistan have witnessed warmth after the developments in the region in last two years.

In the aftermath of the post-Taliban Afghanistan, there have been frequent exchanges of delegations from both sides.

Marking a new beginning in bilateral relations, Iran`s President Seyed Mohammad Khatami paid a three-day official visit to Pakistan in December last, the first top-level visit from Iran in about eight years.