TEHRAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing a joint Presser here today along with President Hassan Rouhani following their meeting held that Pakistan did not want any other conflict in the region.
The two countries have agreed that issues should be resolved through political means and dialogue for regional security and stability. Addressing the Media Imran Khan stated that his visit was aimed at reducing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Imran Khan stated that Pakistan lost 70,000 lives in war on terrorism and Afghanistan also suffered badly in the conflict going on in that country. Prime Minister also mentioned the ongoing conflict in Syria and the resulting misery being suffered by Syrians. He said Saudi Arabia was one of the closest friends of Pakistan acknowledging that Riyadh had always helped it in the times of need.
Reiterating that Pakistan, recognizing that it was a complex and complicated issue, did not want any conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He held that any issue could be resolved through dialogue and talks. Pakistani PM maintained that any new conflict in the region could have far reaching implications and sufferings. He held that a conflict in gulf region could lead to increase in oil prices and more poverty for the developing countries. He warned that some vested interests wanted conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Asserting that the initiative was taken by Pakistan on its own accord, Imran Khan said he would visit Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (15th of October, 2019) with a positive state of mind and would emphasize the importance of dialogue in order to resolve differences. He went on to inform that Pakistan would play the role of mediator in sorting out the differences between the two brotherly Muslim countries.
He informed that, during his recent US visit he was asked by the American President Donald Trump to do something on dialogue with Iran. According to the Prime Minister Imran Khan Iran-Saudi terms were also pondered over in today’s meeting with President Hassan Rouhani. He also appreciated Iran for extending support to people of Occupied Kashmir.
Focusing on the state of affairs in IoK Imran Khan pointed out that over eight million Kashmiris were facing a host of difficulties under curfew for more than two months. He said that the Indian forces had imposed a total communication blockade in IoK where a human disaster was in the process of unfolding.
President Hassan Rouhani said Iran and Pakistan were brotherly Muslim countries enjoying deep-rooted friendship. Commenting on their rendezvous he told that the duo had agreed to further enhance profound strategic terms between the two brotherly countries. Rouhani hoped that Pakistan and Iran could work together for regional peace.
He told that developments in Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman (which are very critical regions) were also discussed and the participants emphasized on taking steps to strengthen peace and security in the region. Hassan Rouhani stated that he had conveyed the concerns of Iran to Prime Minister Imran Khan on developments taking place in the region and also the attack on Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea on Friday (11th of October, 2019). Irani President held that an investigation would be launched to figure out the identity of attacker.
Maintaining that such acts would create instability and insecurity in the region if no action was taken, Hassan Rouhani said that both leaders had a consensus that the key to establish peace in the region was to put an end to Yemen War. Irani President assured that any goodwill gesture would be responded by goodwill gesture and deeds. Rouhani informed that the two had also pondered over the US sanctions on Iranian nation and termed such sanctions as economic terrorism.
According to President Rouhani the two leaders also discussed as to how Iranian nuclear deal could be returned to its previous position. He said the US should return to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and lift the sanctions imposed on his country. Rouhani thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for visiting Iran and discussing the issues which Tehran considered very significant for the region and the world at large. He said he was hopeful that the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his accompanying delegation would yield positive results for the whole region and beyond.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders within one month during which wide-ranging consultations were held. Conspicuous among other there were Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Special Assistant Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari.
Relevant pieces published earlier:
Peacemaking: PM Imran Khan to visit Iran today to diffuse ME tensions
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to visit Iran today where he would meet Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and President Dr. Hassan Rouhani in an attempt to assuage apprehension apropos Saudi Arabia.
Imran Khan, will later head to Saudi Arabia as part of his mediation efforts in order to help defuse tensions between Iran and KSA.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi held: “Pakistan maintains close relations with Saudi Arabia and it is our strategic partner. Iran is our neighbor and friend. Pakistan wishes to prevent further deterioration in differences between the two brotherly Islamic countries. Very soon I will be accompanying the prime minister and we will travel to Iran, we will also visit Saudi Arabia. Our effort will be to help remove the misunderstandings and reduce the tensions to preserve regional peace.”
Besides issues relating to peace and security in the Gulf, bilateral matters and major regional developments will also be discussed. This will be the Prime Minister’s second visit to Iran this year. The Prime Minister also had a bilateral meeting with the President of Iran Dr. Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the 74th UNGA Session in New York in September 2019.
Iran never said ‘No’ to any mediation offer: Zarif
TEHRAN: Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that Tehran was always ready to mediate talks with Riyadh and it never said no to any such offer.
Zarif made these remarks after Prime Minister Imran Khan offered that he would like to mediate the talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran during his visit to both countries.
In an interview, Zarif said that Iran welcomed Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s offer and maintained that there was no other option but to hold talks with Saudi Arabia.
“Iran is ready for direct talks with Saudi Arabia as well as through a mediator. Buying weapons is not a guarantee of safety, Saudi Arabia must keep good relations with neighboring countries and not trust the United States,” he stressed.
Iran ready for peace talks with Saudi Arabia despite ‘unlawful’ remarks from deputy crown prince
Earlier, Iran had said that it was making soft policy for peace talks with Saudi Arabia to promote regional peace despite “unlawful and inflammatory” remarks by the Saudi deputy crown prince, who vowed to protect his kingdom from what he called Iranian efforts to dominate the Muslim world.
“We have no desire, nor any interest, in an escalation of tension in our neighborhood,” Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo wrote in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council.
“We continue to stand ready for dialogue and accommodation to promote regional stability, combat destabilizing extremist violence and reject sectarian hatred,” he wrote. “We hope Saudi Arabia will be persuaded to heed the call of reason.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had said that any struggle for influence between the Sunni Muslim kingdom and the revolutionary Shiite theocracy ought to take place “inside Iran, not in Saudi Arabia”.
Saudi Arabia and Iran compete for influence in the Middle East and support rival groups in Syria’s civil war.
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