TEHRAN – Chairman of Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs says Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Iran will reinforce confidence and trust between Tehran and Islamabad.

In an interview with IRNA published on Sunday, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the visit would also build strong political ties between Iranian and Pakistani leaders.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is in Iran on the invitation of President Hassan Rouhani. This is Imran Khan’s first visit to Iran since he was elected prime minister in August 2018.

“As chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs I warmly welcome the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the Islamic Republic of Iran which is our neighbor, which is our very traditionally close friend with whom we have mutuality of interest,” the senator said. 

He went on to say that the visit sends a very positive message from Pakistan, its government, its people and parliament to the people of Iran. 

Pakistan rejects all kinds of negative propaganda against Iran, he pointed out.

“Pakistan has very strong strategic ties with Iran and we want to further strengthen those ties at the political level, at the economic level and at the security level,” the senator said.

He said there are issues between Iran and Pakistan, particularly regarding security. “We have a common enemy in terms of terrorism and extremism and we will combat that enemy together because it is in the interest of both Iran and Pakistan.”

Riffat Masood, the Pakistani ambassador to Tehran, also said on Sunday that her country is seeking to expand ties with Iran.

She highlighted the Pakistani prime minister’s resolve to strengthen ties with neighboring countries.

“Iran is a neighboring, friendly and Muslim country, therefore we are seeking to expand relations with Iran,” Ambassador Masood said, quoted by IRNA.

MH/PA