Islamabad:Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam has said that Pakistan and Iran share a long common border and together represent a population of nearly 350 million people.
Reza was addressing a public talk on “Pakistan-Iran relations: an enduring partnership in a changing region” organised here by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). He said that robust people-to-people ties, a strategically significant geographic location, substantial complementary and non-competitive economic structures create extensive opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. He further opined that Iran and Pakistan also maintain closely aligned positions on numerous regional and international issues including the question of Palestine.
The envoy noted that terrorism and separatist movements are other serious challenges requiring enhanced cooperation and coordination between the two neighbours. Moreover, their collaboration is reinforced through regional engagement, mutual diplomatic support and common membership in important multilateral platforms such as Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and the Developing Eight Organisation for Economic Cooperation (D-8).
He also shed light on the fact that Iran-Pakistan relations are currently experiencing one of their most constructive phases in recent decades. The exchange of more than 25 high-level delegations over the past two years, along with the signing of 25 agreements and memoranda of understanding across diverse sectors, reflects the upward trajectory of cooperation and the shared recognition of the strategic importance of bilateral relations.
Two presidential visits from Iran within this period, in addition to visits by the Speaker of Parliament, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, foreign ministers and other senior officials underscore the depth and dynamism of mutual interaction.
He also pointed to the vast economic potential of regional cooperation, noting that Pakistan and Iran together represent a market of nearly two billion people, which could further expand with the inclusion of Turkiye. He concluded by saying that Iran-Pakistan relations rest upon a solid foundation of shared history, cultural affinity and common strategic interests. Director ISSI Dr Amina Khan said that Pakistan and Iran share a long-standing bilateral relationship grounded in historical ties, geographic proximity, and intertwined security and economic interests.
