Iran, Pakistan sign 8 MoUs, documents to push trade to $10bln

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Apr 2024 15:09
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The Iranian President was received by the Pakistani Prime Minister on Monday, and the two discussed high-level issues.

Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, left, and Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, right, shake hands during a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 22, 2024. (@PakPMO/X)

The Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held a joint press conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after arriving in Islamabad on Monday morning and meeting with Pakistani officials.

Raisi stressed once again that the two neighbors will enhance economic bilateral relations. After lauding the Pakistani government, Raisi said that relations will be enhanced with Pakistan "in all economic, political, and cultural fields."

The two countries also signed eight cooperation documents, memoranda of agreement, and notes, which were celebrated in a ceremony held in the presence of Raisi and the visiting delegation.

The signed documents covered different issues including security cooperation and judicial assistance agreements in civil and commercial matters between the two neighboring states.

"The level of economic and commercial relations between the two countries by no means acceptable; Therefore, we decided that the level of commercial and economic relations between the two countries will increase to $10 billion annually in the first step," Raisi explained.

"The border between the two countries is an opportunity that can be used for the welfare of the two nations. The border symbolizes cooperation between two countries," he emphasized.

Stopping the war on Gaza a priority

On his part, the Pakistani premier underlined the need to cooperate to end the Israeli crimes in Gaza at the soonest time possible.

"Pakistan and Iran are concerned about the situation of the people of Gaza and condemn the crimes of the Zionist regime," Sharif said.

"We call on all the countries in the world to cooperate to end the crimes in Gaza as soon as possible," he added.

Sharif made it clear that "a fair and detailed solution to the Palestinian issue is necessary," stressing that Pakistan will not place conditions on its support to Palestine. He said that Islamabad will continue to cooperate with Tehran on the issue until a Palestinian state with al-Quds as its capital is formed.

"We respect the people of Pakistan who are fed up with the oppression of the Zionist regime," Raisi said on his part.

Raisi receives an official welcome in Islamabad

Earlier, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi received an official welcome from Pakistan's Prime Minister in Islamabad. The event included the playing of both nations' anthems before President Raisi inspected the honor guard.

President Raisi had symbolically planted a friendship sapling at the Prime Minister's residence. In an interview for the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Pakistani Federal Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada lauded Iran's steadfast stance against Israeli agendas, seeing Iran as a beacon of pride in the Islamic world. He highlighted President Raisi's visit as a strong message to common adversaries shared by Iran and Pakistan.

Pirzada criticized Western countries and pro-Israeli factions for their double standards on human rights and interactions with sovereign nations. He proposed a regional alliance comprising Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, aimed at bolstering common interests and countering shared challenges.