Publish Date: 13 October 2019 - 14:33

TEHRAN, Oct. 13 (MNA) – In a joint press conference with Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined the significance of holding talks for resolving regional issues.

Expressing gratitude for Khan’s visit to Tehran, Rouhani said, “The issues we discussed today are of high importance for the region and international relations.”

“I explained the danger of the Zionist regime to the Pakistani PM,” he said.

“We also discussed cruel US sanctions against Iranian nation noting that they are ‘economic terrorism’,” he added.

“We also conferred on possible ways to put JCPOA on its previous track and having it implemented,” Rouhani said.
 

He continued, “Iran and Pakistan enjoy profound strategic relations and both parties believe that these ties need to continue”.

The President said, “In our meeting, we also expressed our concerns about the safety and security of oil tankers, especially what happened to the Iranian tanker on Friday in the Red Sea”.

“We also presented the leads that we have acquired on the issue and stressed that we will continue our investigations until we reach the final conclusion,” said Rouhani.

He added, “If a country thinks that it can create insecurity in the region and not receive any response, it is gravely mistaken”.

He continued, “Mr. Imran Khan made some points about the critical region of Persian Gulf, which we approve”.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan also stressed that the key to regional issues is ending the war in Yemen, immediate cease-fire and helping the Yemenis, which can be a very good start,” he said.

In this meeting, the Zionist Regime’s threats to regional security were explained to the Pakistani officials, said Rouhani, adding, “We also emphasized that any kind of goodwill and good speech will be responded with good, suitable speech”.

Appreciating the Pakistani PM for his visit to Tehran, the President said, “We welcome the Pakistani Prime Minister’s goodwill and effort for resolving regional issues so that full peace and security return to our critical region”.

At the same press conference, Prime Minister Imran Khan referred to the friendly relations between the two countries and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been a friendly neighbor to Pakistan and supported us in hard times”.

He also appreciated Tehran’s stances in supporting the people of Kashmir.

Any kind of new conflict in the region will be to the detriment of regional nations and to the benefit of foreigners, he said, adding, “The peoples of the region, including Afghanistan and Syria, are still suffering from the consequences of terrorism, therefore, no new conflict must begin in the region”.

Stating that any kind of conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia will affect the entire region, Imran Khan said, “We believe that disputes can be settled through dialogue”.

Referring to his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, the Pakistani PM said, “In the visit, I will offer Pakistan’s initiatives for peace and stability and ending disputes and tensions”.

MNA/ 4745460