Outgoing Iranian year sees major developments in Iran-Pakistan ties

Islamabad, March 17, IRNA - The outgoing Iranian year 1396 which ends on March 20 has seen major developments in Iran-Pakistan ties and the relations between the two neighboring states improved in all areas especially the economic field.

The last days of the year witnessed a successful visit of Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Pakistan. The visit provided an opportunity to explore ways and means to further strengthen cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in diverse areas of mutual interest, particularly expanding bilateral trade.

Iran and Pakistan have been enjoying strong brotherly relations since the creation of Pakistan way back in 1947. Since then the two countries have always been supporting each other on world issues.
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During the first month of the year, Farvardin, (March 21-April 20, 2017) a delegation of Iran’s Supreme National Defense University visited Pakistan and held useful discussions with Pakistani military officials to enhance defense cooperation.
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In the month of Ordibehesht, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq visited Iran, leading a high level delegation to promote parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
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In the same month, nine Iranian border guards were martyred and two others injured by terrorists near Pakistan border in southeastern province of Sistan-Balouchestan, when they were patrolling at the zero border point.

After the incident, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visited Pakistan and met with Pakistani civil and military leadership to have better cooperation between the two countries for border security
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In Tir, Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani met with his Pakistani counterpart Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on the sidelines of the Second Meeting of Eurasian Parliaments Speakers in Seoul and stressed establishing banking ties between the two countries as a way to facilitate the trade.
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In Mordad, Chairman of Pakistani Senate Mian Raza Rabbani visited Iran to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Iranian President Rouhani.
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In Shahrivar, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during the United Nations General Assembly session in New York and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen ties with Pakistan.
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In the same month, Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Muhammad Asif visited Iran to discuss new US policy for Afghanistan and south Asia with Iranian top officials.
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Speaker of Pakistan's Balochistan Assembly Rahila Durrani visited Iran in Mehr and had useful discussions to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
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In the same month, Iranian minister of health, Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi came to Pakistan to attend meeting of World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean in Islamabad.
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In Aban, Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Iran with an aim to expand ties with Iran in all spheres. He had useful discussions with Iranian leaders including President Hassan Rouhani.
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In the same month, Iranian embassy in Pakistan issued record number of visas for Pakistani pilgrims who wanted to attend Arabian ceremony in holy places in Iran and Iraq.
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In Aban a flotilla, comprising two Pakistani warships, visited Iran’s Bandar Abbas port for a five-day official visit.
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In the month of Azar, Pakistan’s Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Co-ordination Saira Afzal Tarar paid a three-day official visit to Iran to promote bilateral ties.
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In the same month, the 11th meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation of the Developing-8 (D-8) Organization and expert working group was held in Islamabad. Vice President of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, Arash Khodaei led the Iranian delegation during the conference.
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In Azar, Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs, Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo visited Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of the first phase of Chabahar port.
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Pakistan in Azar also hosted the 28th meeting of the Regional Planning Council (RPC) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to discuss border trade markets, environment, combating natural disasters and cooperation in clean energy. Iran’s Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Mirshojaeian Hosseini attended the conference.
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In the same month, a five-day Iranian film festival was organized in Islamabad and the event attracted a good number of people.
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In Azar, an Iranian industrial exhibition was organized in Karachi in which many Iranian companies participated and displayed their products. The Pakistani traders expressed great interest in the Iranian products.
The year also saw exchange of lots of trade, sports delegations between the two friendly countries.
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In the same month, Iran and Pakistan had also co-sponsored a United Nations General Assembly resolution against the decision of US President Donald Trump to recognize occupied Jerusalem (Beit-ul Moqaddas) as the capital of the Zionist regime of Israel, sparked anger in Pakistan from government to public level.
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In Dey 1st, Speakers’ Conference on terrorism and regional connectivity was held in Pakistan which was also attended by Iran Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani. During the visit he also held talks with his counterparts.
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In the same month, International Media Conference was held in Pakistani port city of Karachi with the participation of Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Journalists from more than 24 countries attended the four-day conference organized by the Pakistan Media Development Foundation (PMDF).
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In Dey, National Security Advisor of Pakistan Nasser Khan Janjua visited Iran and met with Iranian leaders to enhance security and defense cooperation. Both sides during the visit also discussed regional and international developments. He also attended Tehran Security Conference.
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During the month of Dey, Pakistan’s Minister for Defense Production, Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain visited Iran on a two-day official visit. He met senior Iranian officials to discuss ways for promotion of defense cooperation and bilateral ties between the two countries.
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The then Pakistani Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also visited in Dey to attend the 13th session of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries (PUIC) in Tehran.
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In Dey, a railway delegation from Iran visited Pakistan and discussed the enhance cooperation in railways field with special focus on resuming fortnightly passenger train services between the two countries.

Both sides also discussed Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Train where Pakistan Railways requested the Iranian side to persuade ECO secretariat for the revival of ECO train to Istanbul.
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In Bahman a delegation from Iran’s Urmia Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture visited Pakistan to boost Iran-Pakistan economic ties.
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Meanwhile an Iranian delegation led by Seyed Hamid Mousavi caretaker of department of pilgrimage and tourism of Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province visited Pakistan in the same month to promote Iran-Pakistan ties in the fields of religious and commercial tourism.
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In Bahman, an exhibition of Iranian Islamic arts by Iranian artists Hossain Ali Esfandiari and his daughter Atena Esfandiari was held in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi.

The exhibition was organized by Iranian Cultural Center (Khana-e-Farhang) in Rawalpindi in collaboration with Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) to mark the 39th anniversary of the glorious victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.
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In the same month, the 9th meeting of the Road Committee of Transit Transport Coordination Council (TTCC) of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member-states, including Iran was held in Islamabad.
The three-day meeting reviewed progress on the implementation of the ECO-approved programs/projects and consider proposals for new agreements.
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In Bahman, a week-long Iranian Film Festival featuring different internationally acclaimed productions was held in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi. The festival was organized by Iranian Cultural Center in Karachi and screened the films dubbed into Urdu language.
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In the same month, Iran's Air Force Commander Brigadier-General Hassan Shahsafi visited Pakistan and had useful meetings with Pakistani military and civil leadership to enhance ties between the two countries in defense sector.
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In Esfand, Chief of Iran’s Anti-Narcotics Campaign Police General Mohammad-Masood Zahedian visited Pakistan to attend a meeting of police forces in Islamabad.
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In the same month, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif again visited Pakistan. During the visit, Zarif participated in the meeting of Iran-Pakistan Joint Business Forum in Islamabad.

The Iranian foreign minister held meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and National Security Advisor of Pakistan Nasser Khan Janjua during his stay in Islamabad.
He also addressed a seminar on '70 Years of Pakistan-Iran Relations and Future Prospects' at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).