PEHSAWAR, Dec 17: Iran is protecting its sovereignty and coping with the situation thrust upon it skilfully, says Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peshawar.

“The way Iran is handling the situation is admirable and Muslim world should back Teheran in this hour of crisis,” he said this in an international seminar on “The Cultural Dimensions of Pak-Iran Relations”, organised by Department of International Relations in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Iran.

Mr Gul cited historical and cultural ties between the two countries and said Iran and Pakistan traditionally enjoyed close relations but Iran had drifted away from Pakistan for some reasons. He said these reasons should be pinpointed and addressed. Universities, he said, were the country’s think-tank and they could play a pivotal role in this regard.

Consul-General of Iran in Peshawar Mohammad Hassan Imani said that scholars and intellectuals from both the countries should chalk out strategies for strengthening relations, enabling them to face future cultural challenges.

He said despite separate geographical frontiers, the depth of cultural and religious commonalities between the two nations embodied a portrait of congeniality in landscapes as disparate as politics, social and international relations.

He termed Persian language and literature an important characteristic of common culture between the two counties, saying it was a distinguished trait of unity and one of the most vital indicators of growing relations, harmony.

The second session, which was presided over by Director Vice-Chancellor’s Secretariat Prof Musarrat Hussain Shah, Ambassador (retd) Javed Husain presented his paper on Pak-Iran Political and Security Relations.