Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday held a telephonic conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and appreciated Tehran’s “steadfast support” to Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, APP reported.

During the conversation, the two leaders also exchanged Eid greetings and views on bilateral ties.

On his part, PM Shehbaz underscored the significance of historic ties between the two countries, which he said were “marked by geographic proximity, shared history, and mutual understanding.”

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The premier reaffirmed his government’s strong commitment to boost bilateral relations in all areas of mutual cooperation, including trade, energy, electricity, and people-to-people contacts.

He stressed that the early convening of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) would further strengthen the economic linkages between the two countries.

The prime minister further expressed the hope that border sustenance markets would soon become functional to “facilitate livelihood in the border region.”

PM Shehbaz expressed gratitude to the Iranian leadership for extending timely support and lending IL-76 aircraft to Pakistan to help extinguish forest fires in the Balochistan province.

Appreciating Iran’s cooperation to facilitate the visit of pilgrims every year, the prime minister emphasized the importance of further enhancing “people-to-people exchanges” between the two countries.

The premier also appreciated Iran’s steadfast support over the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, especially from the Supreme Leader of Iran.

In return, President Raisi thanked the Prime Minister for Eid’s felicitations and assured of Iranian cooperation in further deepening trade linkages, particularly the provision of electricity to the Makran Division.

Both the dignitaries also invited each other to visit one another’s countries.