The newly appointed Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, has highlighted the “strategic depth” of relations between Iran and Pakistan, noting that the two countries have developed strong political and defence ties that should be used to expand bilateral cooperation, Iranian state news agency IRNA reports.

Rezaei has made the remarks during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, where he has emphasised Pakistan’s “special position” in Iran’s foreign policy and that Tehran considers Pakistan’s government, military and people “among the major assets of the Islamic world”, the news agency adds.

He adds that both countries should use their existing ties and “valuable capital” to pursue broader cooperation.

Rezaei also stresses the responsibility of major Muslim countries to “strengthen unity and convergence” across the Ummah.