ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Secretary Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Shamkhani has arrived in Islamabad to discuss with Pakistani leadership further enhancement of bilateral ties following the conclusion of the nuclear agreement.
On July 14 this year, Iran and six world major powers clinched a historic deal also called ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)’ in Vienna on Tehran’s nuclear program which paved the way for the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic while in return, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, in the post-JCPOA era, seeks to tap into all existing potential to boost its cooperation with regional countries,” Shamkhani told newsmen as he arrived Islamabad on Wednesday.
Shamkhani said that Pakistan enjoys a key position in the region, noting that Tehran-Islamabad cooperation can contribute to promotion of stability and security in the region particularly in the eastern part of the Middle East.
“Iran attaches great significance to the expansion of ties with Islamabad in political, economic, defense, security and cultural fields given Pakistan’s status in the Islamic world,” he said according to Press TV.
Shamkhani stressed that Pakistan-Iran cooperation contributes to the restoration of regional stability and security and plays a significant role in the battle against terrorism which has turned to a main challenge for the Islamic world today.
During his visit, Ali Shamkhani is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and newly appointed National Security Adviser Nasir Khan Janjua to discuss bilateral ties, regional developments and the fight against terrorism.
Adviser to PM on FA to receive Secretary Supreme National Security Council of Iran today at MoFA. They will also hold joint press briefing.
— SpokespersonMOFA (@ForeignOfficePk) October 28, 2015
Meanwhile, addressing a seminar on ‘Energy Conservation’ in Islamabad on Wednesday, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan is working on two energy projects including Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.
The minister said that Pakistan could not make progress on Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline due to international sanctions on Iran.
“We can move forward on this project after lifting the sanctions on Iran,” Abbasi said.
