Iranian stresses economic cooperation with Pakistan

Larijani made the remarks in a meeting with Pakistan's Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly Kiramat Ullah Khan Chagharmati on Wednesday, and stressed development of relations. The Iranian Parliament Speaker pointed to Iran-Pakistan economic agreements, and asserted the need for increasing the level of cooperation to the extent of $10 billion until the year 2014, and called for the execution of two bilateral agreements on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. "Tehran-Islamabad relations are historical; Iran-Pakistan relations are promotional; Islamabad and Tehran should use every opportunity, including the parliamentarian capacities to enhance the level of cooperation between the two countries." Chagharmati, for his part, thanked Iran's positive role in the region, and warned that terrorist groups use every opportunity to deviate the people from the Right Path. Iran and Pakistan have always had very close and intimate relations throughout the history. The two countries exchange delegations on a regular basis and their leaders are resolved to further accelerate expansion of ties and cooperation between the two neighboring nations. Late in March, Iranian and Pakistani presidents in a meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, reiterated the two countries' enthusiasm for the further expansion of bilateral economic relations. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari underlined the need for further expansion of all-out ties, particularly in the field of economy.