Iranian foreign minister reaches Pakistan for talks

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reached Islamabad early Monday for talks with his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani.

According to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, Amir-Abdollahian was received at the Nur Khan airbase in the capital Islamabad by senior official Rahim Hayat.

During the visit, the ministry said Foreign Minister Abdollahian “will hold in-depth talks” with Jilani and later call on Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.

Tehran said the two sides will "discuss and exchange views on boosting bilateral cooperation in trade, industrial, scientific, academic, security, and energy fields."

Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Islamabad comes as the two neighbors resumed full diplomatic relations following tensions over cross-border airstrikes into each other’s territory early this month.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had launched a barrage of missiles on Pakistan’s border region, claiming to target the bases of Jaish al-Adl, an Iranian militant group.

Pakistan condemned the strikes and retaliated with a missile strike on Iran’s border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which it claimed was to target an anti-Pakistan militant group.

Islamabad had downgraded ties with Tehran but resumed full ties after intense deliberations.

Over the weekend, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi accepted credentials from the new Pakistani ambassador to Tehran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu.

Raisi said the border between the two countries should be protected against insecurity.