Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his visit to Islamabad.

Iran Press/Asia: During a joint meeting in Islamabad, the foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan agreed on the two countries' efforts to strengthen comprehensive relations for regional peace, including in Afghanistan.

Chaired by Mohammad Javad Zarif and Shah Mahmoud Qureshi, Iran-Pakistan consultations were held on Wednesday at the foreign ministry in Islamabad.

The talks began with a bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries and then continued at high-level delegations from Iran and Pakistan.

Senior Iranian and Pakistani diplomatic officials, the two countries' special envoys to Afghanistan, Mohammad Ali Hosseini, Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, and Rahim Hayat Qureshi, Pakistan's ambassador to Iran, also attended the consultations.

During the meeting, Tehran and Islamabad agreed to expand bilateral cooperation, especially efforts for regional peace and Afghanistan's peace process, Pakistani state media reported.

The Foreign Ministers of Iran and Pakistan also expressed deep concern over the escalation of Islamophobia in the West, adding that insulting the sanctities under the pretext of freedom of expression is never acceptable.

Zarif and Qureshi exchanged views on the current level of Iran-Pakistan relations, the COVID-19 virus, and the promotion of bilateral cooperation.

The Pakistani foreign minister stressed the need to use Tehran and Islamabad's cooperation capacities in regional and international forums to strengthen bilateral, trade, investment, and security interactions and other areas of mutual interest.

Qureshi also shared his views on the subcontinent developments and the situation of the Muslim people of Kashmir with his Iranian counterpart.

Earlier, a memorial tree was planted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan in the presence of the Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan.

On the second day of his visit to Islamabad, the Iranian Foreign Minister also met with the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan. Iranian and Pakistani officials entered into talks on important issues, including the fight against terrorism, strengthening the border, and defense cooperation, and expanding military relations between the two neighboring countries.

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