TEHRAN – Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi will pay a visit to Iran on Thursday to discuss developments in bilateral relations and Afghanistan, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Khatibzadeh said that the visit will take place at the request of the Pakistani foreign minister on Thursday and will focus on bilateral issues and Afghanistan.  

“Iran, as a country that has made efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan, is consulting, and God willing, this trip will be in line with the continuation of friendly relations,” the spokesman added. 

The Pakistani foreign minister, who is scheduled to embark on a regional tour that will include the Islamic Republic of Iran, stressed the importance of the position of players in regions such as Tehran for consensus aimed at helping to establish lasting peace in Afghanistan, according to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA. 

“Peace in Afghanistan is inevitable for its neighbors and neighboring countries,” Shah Mahmoud Qureshi said on Monday, ahead of a trip to Central Asia and Iran.

He added, “Islamabad seeks a regional consensus for Afghanistan and emphasizes the role of its neighbors in contributing to peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

Referring to his plans to visit Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, Qureshi said, “We want the participation of all domestic groups in Afghanistan to form a national and inclusive government.”
He denied that he paid a visit to Kabul, suggesting that allegation of such a visit came from media outlets in the Indian subcontinent.

As Afghanistan's immediate neighbors, we must consider the efforts of the opposing parties and the enemies of peace, because the saboteurs are still trying to sabotage, the top Pakistani diplomat noted. 

A Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman had earlier announced that Qureshi would travel to several countries in the region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, as part of Islamabad's diplomatic efforts for peace in Afghanistan.