ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to enhance trade and bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including energy and transport, the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday, a day after the two sides concluded two-day bilateral political consultations in Tehran. 

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Dr. Asad Majeed Khan and Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, Mr. Ali Bagheri Kani, led their respective sides at the 12th round of bilateral political consultations. Pakistan’s Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi and other senior officials from both sides also attended the meeting on June 17-18. 

Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement the two sides held discussions covering the entire range of bilateral relations and reviewed the status of implementation of decisions of the last meeting. 

“It was agreed to enhance and diversify bilateral trade and expand cooperation in energy, transport connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides had a comprehensive exchange of views on the regional situation,” it said in a statement. 

“Both sides underscored the significance of regular convening of various institutional mechanisms, including Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and Joint Trade Committee (JTC) to forge closer cooperation in areas of mutual interest.” 

The Pakistani foreign secretary welcomed the normalization of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

Tehran and Riyadh announced in March an agreement to restore relations severed seven years ago when protesters in Iran attacked Saudi diplomatic missions. The rapprochement has the potential to reshape relations across a region characterized by turbulence for decades. 

“The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue cooperation at multilateral fora, including the UN, OIC and ECO and strengthen dialogue on global and regional issues of common concern,” the foreign office added. 

In Khan’s meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, they agreed to maintain the current momentum of high-level exchanges and strengthen mutually-beneficial cooperation in diverse fields. 

The Pakistani foreign secretary also interacted with the Iranian intelligentsia and scholars at the leading Iranian think tank, the Institute of Peace and International Studies (IPIS), where he highlighted Pakistan’s role toward promotion of peace and development in the region.