Iran, Pakistan resolved to boost security ties: President Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani says Iran and Pakistan are determined to step up their cooperation and consultation in the fight against terrorism and on regional security.

According to Press TV, during a press conference with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, President Rouhani said on Friday that the two countries are resolved not to allow extremist and terrorist groups threaten their shared border security.

The Iranian president said the two countries' security is intertwined and interdependent, adding that more efforts are needed to boost security along Iran’s eastern and Pakistan’s western border.

He added that the two countries are "close to each other culturally," and must also focus on cultural cooperation.

President Rouhani said issues of mutual interest, the economic sector and potentialities that exist for the development of economic relations, including in the energy issue, gas as well as electricity exports were discussed during the meeting with the Pakistani premier.

The two countries also held talks for the expansion of trade cooperation in light of the facilitation of regulations like preferential trade tariffs by paving the ground for free trade between the two countries, he added.

Establishing new border markets and forging closer relations between the two important Iranian and Pakistani ports of Chabahar and Gwadar were also discussed during the meeting, Rouhani said.

Also during the press conference, Sharif pointed to the “cordial and fraternal ties” between the two countries, adding that the latest meeting was the third in less than three years, reflecting the warmth and depth of bilateral relations.

He said regional and mutual ties were discussed during talks with Rouhani, adding that the two presidents expressed resolve to develop ties in various fields and signed several memorandums of understanding in many sectors.

SS