ISLAMABAD: Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam on Wednesday said the new government in his country would uphold the legacy of late President Ebrahim Raisi and continue to promote cooperation with regional states, including Pakistan.

He was speaking at a seminar on ‘President Raisi’s vision of regional cooperation’ organised by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in collaboration with Asian Institute of Eco-Civilisation Research and Development (AIERD) at the IRS office in Islamabad.

Dr Moghadam said regional cooperation had been the top priority of President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister, Dr Amir Abdollahian.

He said President Raisi prioritised regional cooperation, which could be ascertained through his active involvement inShanghai Cooperation Organisation, Caspian Sea Summit and BRICS, adding that he also undertook 28 foreign visits during his short tenure, with his trip to Pakistan being the most extensive.

“He visited three cities of Pakistan, met the senior leadership of the country, including the president, prime minister, National Assembly speaker, Senate chairman and army chief,” the Iranian envoy said, adding that the MoUs signed in areas of free trade agreement, economic cooperation and tourism were a testament to the strong brotherly ties that existed between the two countries.

Speaking at the seminar, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mohammad Mudassir Tipu said President Raisi’s stance on increasing bilateral trade with Pakistan to $10 billion per annum and his interest in enhancing security cooperation with Afghanistan shed light on his commitment to economic cooperation and regional stability.

Mr Tipu also spoke about President Raisi’s efforts to bolster cultural and economic bonds with Pakistan, saying that the late president and other Iranian officials held a deep sense of respect for Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal.

Former director general of Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at National Defence University Maj Gen Samrez Salik recalled President Raisi’s achievements, particularly highlighting his contribution towards consolidating relations between Pakistan and Iran through trade.

AIERD Chairman Zahid Latif Khan spoke in detail about the internal and external policies of Iran under President Raisi. He also proposed collaboration in research between think tanks of both countries with an emphasis on President Raisi’s legacy.

Earlier, in his welcome address, IRS President Ambassador Jauhar Saleem praised the Iranian president’s ‘Neighbourhood Policy’.

He said Iran’s relations with countries to its east, especially Pakistan, had always been cordial, which further strengthened following President Raisi’s visit to Pakistan earlier this year.

He stressed upon the need for a multilateral cooperative framework, emphasising on the promotion of intra- and inter-regional connectivity and cooperation.

AIERD’s chief executive officer Shakeel Ahmed Ramay moderated the discussion.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2024