Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan H.E. Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam called on Federal Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada Monday in Islamabad. Both sides discussed centuries-old deep strategic and brotherly relations between two countries.
Welcoming the ambassador, Minister said that Pakistan greatly values its relations with Iran rooted in cultural, historical and religious bonds. He emphasized to enhance these relations in various areas particularly in economy, energy, culture and human rights. Ambassador H.E. Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam also reciprocated the same about historical bilateral relations and expressed that the people of Iran and Pakistan are tied with the knot of love. They have been living peacefully for centuries without any dispute. Both countries have been supporting each other in the UNO and Iran is now supporting Pakistan in IMF. He said that Iran has been facing sanctions and pressure from the US due to its upright foreign policies and now this pressure has become an irritant in bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan. During the call, Minister expressed that the trio of Muslim countries i.e.; Iran, Pakistan and Turkiey, is continuously advocating for the rights of Palestinian and Kashmiri people who have been living under oppression and facing gross human rights violations for decades.
He further said that Western countries cannot dictate us on human rights if they keep an eye close to such flagrant human rights violations and suppression just because of their own economic interests. He added that Pakistan, besides having its weak economy, has always raised its voice against this oppression.
Ambassador stated that there is huge potential in the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline that is the way Iran can help its neighboring energy-starved country but international powers are hindering the energy blessings to the people of Pakistan. There is urgent need for two governments to find its way out and we would respect every decision taken by Pakistan.
He also stressed to make Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) more effective forum to promote trade and economic cooperation among member countries. Minister hoped that after fresh elections in the country, upcoming regime, having public support, would introduce public-oriented international policies.
He said that this government has hardly pulled the country out of chaos and desperate situation under the leadership of Mian Muhammad Shabaz Sharif. He said that this region has become an arena for power politics among superpowers due to CPEC but the current regime in KSA under the dynamic and progressive leadership of Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced a shift in policy that can further the autonomy of this region by bringing it out of the influence of the West and the USA.
While concluding, Minister said that OIC must be a forum that may raise effectively the concerns of Muslim world in this wave of Islamophobia where heinous occurrences of publishing insulting caricatures and burning of the holy Quran have severely injured the emotions of over 1.8 billion Muslim population in the world. He said that Iran is our second home and very close to our hearts and we always share love and respect for its people.
