Iranian, Pakistani Presidents Underscore Expansion of Mutual Cooperation

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari, in a meeting in Turkmenistan’s capital, explored avenues for the further expansion of the two neighboring countries’ relations.

During the meeting held on Thursday on the sidelines of the 4th International Nowrouz Festival on the occasion of the Persian New Year in Ashgabat, the two presidents renewed Tehran and Islamabad’s determination to enhance bilateral relations in different fields.

“Tehran and Islamabad enjoy ample potential to enhance the level of their cooperation in different sectors, particularly in energy and commercial transactions through which they can meet many of their needs,” President Ahmadinejad said.

Zardari, for his part, reiterated that nothing can create an obstacle in the way of the promotion of Iran-Pakistan ties.

Iran and Pakistan have always had very close and intimate relations throughout the history.

The two countries exchange delegations on a regular basis and their leaders are resolved to further accelerate expansion of ties and cooperation between the two neighboring nations.

In March, the two countries officially inaugurated the construction phase of a gas pipeline project which is due to take Iran’s rich gas reserves to the energy-hungry South Asian nation.

The project kicked off in a ceremony attended by Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart at the two countries’ shared border region in Iran’s Southeastern city of Chabahar.

The 2700-kilometer long pipeline was to supply gas for Pakistan and India which are suffering a lack of energy sources, but India has evaded talks. In 2011, Iran and Pakistan declared they would finalize the agreement bilaterally if India continued to be absent in the meeting.

According to the project proposal, the pipeline will begin from Iran’s Assalouyeh Energy Zone in the south and stretch over 1,100 km through Iran. In Pakistan, it will pass through Baluchistan and Sindh but officials now say the route may be changed if China agrees to the project.