Iran welcomes Pakistan's efforts to promote peace, stability in region
President Hassan Rouhani said late on Sunday that since Iran believes dispute among Muslim states will not benefit anyone, Tehran welcomes Islamabad's efforts to boost peace and stability in the region.
In a meeting with the Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, President Rouhani added that Iran is keen to have close and friendly relations with all regional states, as under the current situation, all should work for regional peace and stability and cooperate to ease tensions in the region.
Reiterating that outbreak of war and conflict in the region will be very dangerous, Rouhani said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to defend its interests but it never seeks to fan the flames of war in the region."
The strike on US bases in Iraq was in fact in response to US criminal act, he stressed.
Rouhani further noted that today, all should believe that dialogue and close cooperation among the nations are in the interest of the regional Muslim governments and peoples and they will make loss from any disagreement and conflict.
Stressing the need for deepening Tehran-Islamabad ties, he said, "Iran-Pakistan borders should be borders of peace and friendship and should not let certain grouplets make our borders insecure."
The US and Zionist regime's leaders as well as terrorists, including Daesh (ISIS) were happy from assassination of Lieutenant General Soleimani and on the contrary the people seeking peace and stability in the region became sad to hear the news.
"We expect all countries to denounce US state terrorism with decisive tone," he said.
Qureshi, for his part, condoled with Rouhani over martyrdom of top Iranian General Soleiman, saying that it was very unexpected and shocking.
Reiterating that his country will never allow anyone to use its soil against other countries, especially Iran, he said that Pakistan considers itself a partner of peace and stability with Iran and it never wants to share a conflict harming the region, particularly Iran.
"We believe that borders of Iran and Pakistan are borders of peace and friendship and we are determined to confront the saboteurs who are trying to undermine this," he said.
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