Zarif: Iran, Pakistan to move on path of peace, prosperity
TEHRAN(Basirat): Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran and Pakistan are prudent enough to lead the change for a stronger neighborhood.
Speaking as a chief guest on "70 Years of Pakistan-Iran Relations and
Future Prospects” at Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad on
Monday, he said Iran and Pakistan have to further expand and strengthen
their relations.
'We have probably the longest diplomatic relations with Pakistan, but relations between the two people are much deeper, rooted in our common history, common culture and common values,” Zarif said.
The Iranian foreign minister added that difficulties, ups and downs, political issues will never break the ties that exist between the people of Iran and Pakistan.
"Let me assure you that Iran will never do anything to harm Pakistan and we are confident in Iran that Pakistan will never do anything to harm Iran. We have so much confidence in each other,” said the Iranian foreign minister.
He said that Pakistan has always been at our side in times of difficulty and 'we know that Pakistani brothers and sisters don’t forget that Iran was on their side when Pakistan needed them'.
Zarif said that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline hopefully will be completed, the banking relations between Iran and Pakistan will be resumed, the Free Trade Agreement will be signed and Chabahar and Gwadar ports would become complementary projects.
He added that relations between the two countries will move ahead and further expanded.
The official noted that Iran and Pakistan as two Muslim countries are living in a very difficult neighborhood.
"We need to work together to change the paradigm of relations that unfortunately exists in today’s Islamic world,” added the foreign minister.
The Iranian top diplomat said at a time when the region and the Muslim Ummah are facing great challenges, Pakistan and Iran have bigger role to play.
He said the two countries have similar security challenges and they will have to cooperate with each other to tackle them effectively.
Zarif noted that security cannot be attained at the expense of others.
"Iran and Pakistan can work together in order to have better region,” he added.
Zarif went on to say that hegemonic approach has failed.
"Blaming each other is not the solution, we need to move into different way in looking at our problems,” he said.
"What is happening in Syria, what is happening in Yemen, these are the miseries that our own wrong choices have brought not only to us but to innocent women, children and the elders,” Zarif noted.
The foreign minister expressing his views said that all countries of the region suffer from extremism and scourge of Daesh.
"We face common menaces and they require common solutions,” he pointed out.
Zarif added: 'We need to recognize that if we create an enemy for our enemy it will become our enemy.'
He said 'we need to seek solution within our side and we are capable for that so we need to move away from block formation rather we need to form networks'.
Source:IRNA
'We have probably the longest diplomatic relations with Pakistan, but relations between the two people are much deeper, rooted in our common history, common culture and common values,” Zarif said.
The Iranian foreign minister added that difficulties, ups and downs, political issues will never break the ties that exist between the people of Iran and Pakistan.
"Let me assure you that Iran will never do anything to harm Pakistan and we are confident in Iran that Pakistan will never do anything to harm Iran. We have so much confidence in each other,” said the Iranian foreign minister.
He said that Pakistan has always been at our side in times of difficulty and 'we know that Pakistani brothers and sisters don’t forget that Iran was on their side when Pakistan needed them'.
Zarif said that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline hopefully will be completed, the banking relations between Iran and Pakistan will be resumed, the Free Trade Agreement will be signed and Chabahar and Gwadar ports would become complementary projects.
He added that relations between the two countries will move ahead and further expanded.
The official noted that Iran and Pakistan as two Muslim countries are living in a very difficult neighborhood.
"We need to work together to change the paradigm of relations that unfortunately exists in today’s Islamic world,” added the foreign minister.
The Iranian top diplomat said at a time when the region and the Muslim Ummah are facing great challenges, Pakistan and Iran have bigger role to play.
He said the two countries have similar security challenges and they will have to cooperate with each other to tackle them effectively.
Zarif noted that security cannot be attained at the expense of others.
"Iran and Pakistan can work together in order to have better region,” he added.
Zarif went on to say that hegemonic approach has failed.
"Blaming each other is not the solution, we need to move into different way in looking at our problems,” he said.
"What is happening in Syria, what is happening in Yemen, these are the miseries that our own wrong choices have brought not only to us but to innocent women, children and the elders,” Zarif noted.
The foreign minister expressing his views said that all countries of the region suffer from extremism and scourge of Daesh.
"We face common menaces and they require common solutions,” he pointed out.
Zarif added: 'We need to recognize that if we create an enemy for our enemy it will become our enemy.'
He said 'we need to seek solution within our side and we are capable for that so we need to move away from block formation rather we need to form networks'.
Source:IRNA
