Pakistan Calls for Consultations with Iran on Afghan Peace Process
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pakistan's Foreign Minister said his country is interested in holding talks with Tehran to help restore peace and stability to Afghanistan.
Speaking at a press conference in Dubai on the second day of his three-day visit to the UAE on Sunday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his upcoming visit to Iran would include talks on Afghan peace process, according to Public relations office of Pakistani foreign ministry.
Qureshi described the Islamic Republic of Iran as Pakistan's brother and a key player in the region, saying that his visit to the country would enable him to have a more candid discussion with Iranian officials about the Afghan issue.
He added that Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has paid four official visits to Pakistan since Prime Minister Imran Khan took office, and that as a neighbor of Afghanistan, Iran can help bring peace to the war-torn country.
He said Pakistan has good ties with Islamic countries and supports the region's peace and stability, praising the resolution of conflicts between (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council members.
The visit of Pakistan's Foreign Minister to four countries in the region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, is aimed at bolstering bilateral ties and building consensus to advance the Afghan peace process.
After Abu Dhabi, he will fly to Tehran, Doha, and Istanbul, in that order. The visit is significant because it coincides with US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan by September 11 of this year.
On Tuesday, he is scheduled to arrive in Tehran. According to Pakistani diplomatic sources, Qureshi's meeting with senior Iranian officials would focus on the progress of bilateral ties, economic cooperation, and an exchange of views on the situation in Afghanistan.
On March 30, Qureshi met with Zarif on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Summit in Tajikistan to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments.
