ISLAMABAD: In a telephonic exchange on Friday, Pakistan’s caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, assessed the progress made on agreements forged at the time of resumption of relations between the two countries after a brief breakdown marked by reciprocal missile strikes.

The call, initiated by Amir-Abdollahian, served as a platform to renew the commitment of both countries to deepen their relationship. The ministers expressed a mutual desire to enhance cooperation across diverse sectors, aiming to cultivate a more profound bilateral partnership.

The Iranian foreign minister emphasised the progress achieved so far and underscored the significance of maintaining effective communication between pertinent institutions to ensure the swift and successful implementation of these agreements.

The conversation comes in the wake of Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Pakistan earlier this month — a visit that marked the full restoration of official engagements following a temporary lapse in relations.

Furthermore, the dialogue ventured into discussions on recent developments in Gaza. Minister Jilani lauded Iran’s proposition for an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, aimed at addressing and halting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2024