PM Shehbaz, Iranian President Discuss Strengthening Bilateral Ties in Bishkek

BISHKEK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The two leaders reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations across all areas of mutual cooperation.

They also stressed the importance of implementing the decisions reached during President Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan in June.

President Pezeshkian said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had assured him that the Mecca Agreement was defensive in nature and was not directed against any country. Its objective, he said, was to promote peace and security in the region and protect the interests of regional countries.

The Iranian president appreciated Pakistan’s active and constructive role in the mediation process. He said greater unity among Muslim countries would make it more difficult for Israel to attack them and stressed that Muslim nations had the ability to resolve issues through dialogue and cooperation.

Pezeshkian described the Mecca Agreement as a step toward strengthening unity in the Muslim world, expressing hope that other regional and Muslim countries would also join and expand cooperation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also held a meeting with the President of Uzbekistan, where both sides expressed their resolve to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion.