Iranian Minister of Defence Brigadier General Amir Hatami says expansion of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in defence field will consolidate regional stability. Speaking to Pakistani Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain in Tehran on Tuesday, Hatami said the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan shared deep religious and cultural as well as historical commonalties while sharing common borders.
'Pakistan reserves special status in the Islamic Republic of Iran foreign policy in the region,' said the official, adding the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasized expansion of relations with the friend and brotherly country, Pakistan, in all spheres pertinent to bilateral and regional ties. 'Reciprocal of visits by the defence and military officials of the two countries will pave the ground for expansion of bilateral relations and consolidation of stability and security in the region.'
Elsewhere in his remarks, the minister said experience over recent years, has clarified the criminal goal and intentions of the US for the independent states of the region. 'The US and the Zionist regime are the biggest and the most dangerous supporters of terrorism in the region and extremism is result of the US policies in the region.' 'We believe that the best solution to get rid of the US pressures is cooperation of regional countries. One of the events and developments west of Asia is the result of ill and hostile intention of the US and Zionist regime for Islamic countries.'
Daesh is still a regional and international threat, can affect stability and security of the region, said the minister, adding, 'We believe the current crises in Syria and Yemen have not military solution and should be solved through dialogue and political methods.' He hoped that as an important and credible country in the world of Islam, Pakistan as in the past plays a positive role in regional developments in line with interests of the Muslim Ummah.
He underlined the need for the expansion of relations and cooperation among Asian countries, and said that Iran is ready for expansion of defence and technical cooperation between the two countries. The Pakistani minister, for his part, said Iran played important role in the region and Pakistan's support for Iran in various international fora will raise the coefficient of the regional security.
He said consolidation of security and stability on borders of the two countries will pave the ground for the expansion of economic and commercial cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad, while emphasizing promotion of military and disciplinary cooperation to confront the mischiefs along the common border. Underlining cooperation between the two countries in maritime field and expansion of shipping and cooperation between Iranian and Pakistani ports, especially Gwadar and Chabahar, he assessed it helpful for security and stability of the region.
Meanwhile, according to a press statement issued in Islamabad, both sides agreed to further enhance progress on joint working group on scientific & Technological Cooperation Federal Minister for Science & Technology. Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran is much more at the advanced stages in establishing Science & Technology Parks for promoting Research & Development entrepreneurship and knowledge economy. He stated that linkages were established with the Inter-Islamic Network on science and Technology Parks (INSTP) based in Iran.
He desired his government's keen interest in exchanges of information via Science & Technology Parks in Iran, which is reflected in the upcoming three-day International Workshop on Science & Technology Parks at Comsats Institute of Information & Technology (CIIT) in collaboration with INSTP, COMSTECH and IDB. Federal Minister for Science & Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed that cooperation in Science & Technology with Islamic Republic of Iran has also been pursued at the multilateral forums such as COMSTECH, COMSATS, ECO-Science Foundation based in Islamabad besides other forums such as UN ESCAP-APCTT, NAM S&T Centre and D-8 Group of countries.