Iran, Pakistan Reaffirm Resolve to Boost Ties

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the visiting prime minister of Pakistan issued the joint statement on Monday, stressing that the common border should be the border of peace and friendship.

What follows is the full text of the statement, released by the president’s website:

Joint statement of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

H.E Mr. Imran Khan, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, made a visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 21 and 22, 2019, heading a high-ranking delegation of the country, at the invitation of H.E Hassan Rouhani, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan made pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Reza (PBUH) on a visit to Mashhad on April 21, 2019. In addition to meeting with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mr. Rouhani, the Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan had a meeting with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in his first official visit to Iran as prime minister.

1. While emphasizing the historical, cultural, religious and civilizational solidarity of both countries and two neighboring and Muslim nations, and based on the will of the senior officials of the two countries in order to develop relations in all fields of mutual interest, the parties emphasized the importance of deepening and strengthening bilateral relations based on the principles of national interest, preserving territorial integrity and mutual respect for national sovereignty, urging rapid implementation of agreements and memoranda of understanding as a step towards achieving this goal.

2. Emphasizing that the borders of the two countries should be border of peace and friendship, the parties will continue to systematically cooperate and exchange views between political, military and security officials in countering threats such as terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking, money laundering and kidnapping. It was also agreed to hold the tenth round of the Special Security Committee negotiations between the Ministry of Interior of the two sides in Islamabad in May/June 2019, in order to look into the details of the above.

3. The two sides also agreed to hold the next Joint Consular Commission meeting in the second half of year 1398 (2019) in order to examine the progress made and to chart the progress made in facilitating people’s travel from the two countries. The Pakistani side welcomed the Iranian government's announcement of the release of a number of Pakistani inmates and the adoption of measures for their immediate extradition.

4. President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan acknowledged that strengthening and consolidation of cooperation of Sistan and Baluchistan province of Iran with the Baluchistan state of Pakistan, including the reopening of crossings and border markets.

5. The two sides emphasized the need to promote cooperation in the energy sector, including Iran's export of electricity to Pakistan. The Pakistani side expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for continuing to export electricity to the Baluchistan state of Pakistan.

6. While emphasizing the deep and long-lasting cultural, social and linguistic affinities between the two countries and their ethnic groups, the parties reiterated the need to further strengthen these links through the boosting of academic, cultural and tourism activities, in particular through increased mutual travel between intellectuals, traditional artists and cultural groups, as well as strengthening the tourism of the religious sites of the two countries.

7. The Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan emphasized the help of the government and people of Pakistan and their solidarity with the Iranian people in the wake of recent floods in the country, which caused the loss of valuable human lives and material damage. The Pakistani prime minister expressed confidence that the Iranian people would overcome this natural disaster with their resilience. The Iranian side announced its appreciation towards Pakistan for sending humanitarian aid to the flood-stricken areas in Iran.

8. Given the increasing volume of trade between the two countries in year 1397 (2018-2019), the honorable President of Iran and the honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan required their respective ministries to use all potentials to put in place all necessary mechanisms to maximize monetary, financial, and commercial activities. The parties also agreed to hold the twenty-first round of Joint Economic Committee talks in Pakistan in the second half of 1398 (2019) in order to consult on the above issues.

9. The parties negotiated and discussed regional and international issues. The two sides considered peace and sustainable development as a prerequisite to promoting relations, integration and synergy among the countries of the West Asian region.

10. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Charter and international law, in particular the principles of equality of sovereignty, political independence, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The two sides reiterated the need for all countries to adhere to the rule of law, including in international affairs. In this regard, the two sides expressed their grave concern about unilateral adoption of acts contrary to international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

11. While referring to the need for a secure, stable and independent Afghanistan to promote peace and stability in the region, the Iranian President and the Pakistani Prime Minister called for the establishment of peace talks between Afghan groups, and called on the countries of the region and the international community to cooperate with each other to put an end to the conflicts and return full peace to the country. The two sides also emphasized the need for joint efforts to achieve a more comprehensive consensus in the region.

12. While condemning all forms of terrorism, the two sides acknowledged the great achievements of the two countries in combatting terrorism and emphasized that efforts should be made to develop regional and international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism and identify and eradicate all forms of terrorism in the region.

13. With regard to the importance of extending roads to develop and facilitate bilateral and regional cooperation, the two sides agreed on the implementation of bilateral and multilateral agreements, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), CPEC and the North-South, and East-West Transit Corridors in Iran.

14. The President of Iran and the Pakistani Prime Minister welcomed all aspects of cooperation between the two countries, especially the six-party summit of the parliament speakers in Tehran, in order to develop cooperation between the countries of the region.

15. The two sides emphasized the need to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue and peaceful means based on the will of the people of that region and in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution.

16. The Iranian President and the Pakistani Prime Minister noted that the right of the people of Palestine to stand up for their rights, in particular the formation of an independent state and sovereignty of Palestine, was the main demand of Muslim countries. The two countries also agreed to help Palestinians in establishing an independent state through regional and international arrangements.

17. The parties emphasized the necessity of implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as soon as possible by other countries, in view of the full implementation of the provisions of the agreement by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

18. The parties welcomed the signing of the health cooperation statement, which included technical assistance and the exchange of experiences bilaterally with tangible outputs.

The Pakistani Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the warm and generous hospitality of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Pakistani delegation and officially invited Dr. Rouhani to make a visit to Pakistan as soon as possible. The Iranian President wholeheartedly accepted this invitation. The date of the visit will be determined through diplomatic channels.