Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday telephoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan to congratulate him on his party success in the July 25 general elections and expressed willingness to further improve bilateral relations, DawnNewsTV reported.
The Iranian president extended an invitation to Khan to visit Iran after taking the oath, which was accepted by the PTI chief.
Earlier in the day, the acting US Ambassador to Pakistan, John Hoover, called on Khan at his Banigala residence. Hoover, who was accompanied by a US diplomatic delegation, held talks with the prime-minister-to-be on issues of mutual interest, read a statement issued by the PTI.
Expressing Pakistan's desire to see complete stability in Afghanistan, Khan said: "I have always stressed on the need for a political resolution to Afghanistan."
"I am happy to see that there is a rise in similar views coming from the US as well," he added.
The PTI chief further asserted that war and use of power is not the solution to Afghanistan's problems and that stability in Afghanistan would prove to be in the best interests of not only the US and Pakistan but also the region in general.
"The ups and downs experienced by both countries have been due to a lack of mutual trust," he said, adding that Pakistan was determined to develop relations based on trust with the US.
He further stressed that Pakistan is desirous of maintaining strong economic and trade relations with the US and that further diplomatic activities between the two are the need of the hour.
Meanwhile, Rouhani in his telephonic conversation with the PTI chief said that Pakistan's relations with Iran are not only that of a neighbour but go deeper as the two countries share the same religious and cultural values.
It was mutually decided that as soon as the process of the transition of power is complete, the interior ministers of both the countries will finalise the arrangements for a state visit to Iran.
"We want to develop special trade relations with Iran," Khan told Rouhani, adding that Pakistan wishes to see further improvement in relations on the diplomatic level.
