PM Imran Khan visits Iran amid tense relations
Prime Minister Imran Khan met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Presidential Palace in Tehran on Monday.
Pakistan and Iran have agreed to set up a Joint Rapid Reaction Force to guard the common borders. The understanding came at a meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Imran Khan during talks.
Political leadership in #Pakistan has pledged that no militant group will be allowed to operate from Pakistan: Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI @HassanRouhani #Tehran #PMImranKhan https://t.co/ykRPK73kJ9 … pic.twitter.com/oHGewgdM8B
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) April 22, 2019
Upon his arrival at the Sa’dabad Cultural-Historical Complex, PM Imran Khan was given a guard of honour. He was greeted by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
President Rouhani and Prime Minister Khan reviewed the honour guards and introduced their accompanying delegations to each other.
Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI meets President Hassan Rouhani at Saadabad Palace in Tehran.#PrimeMinisterImranKhan #Pakistan 🇵🇰 #Iran 🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/RZqCk1mnRe
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 22, 2019
Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in neighbouring Iran for bilateral talks, a day after Islamabad urged Tehran to act against armed groups behind the killings in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province earlier this week.
PM Imran Khan started his official two-day visit to Iran by paying his respects at the shrine of Imam Raza during a brief stopover in Mashhad, the northeastern holy Shia city of Mashhad on Sunday.
He also met the leadership of the Khorasan-i-Razavi province and told them that maintaining good relations with neighbours was the cornerstone of his government’s policy.
Prime Minister Imran Khan visits Shrine of Imam Raza at Mashhad and offers Fateha. He also prays for the progress, prosperity of the people and the country. pic.twitter.com/smEifQlbo7
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) April 21, 2019
This is PM’s first official visit to Iran on the invitation of Iranian President Rouhani since he took office last year.
According to the Iranian state TV, “During the meetings, improving bilateral ties, border security, countering terrorism and regional issues will be discussed”.
The Prime Minister is accompanied by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistants Zulfi Bukhari, Zafarullah Mirza and Nadeem Babar.
A statement by Pakistan’s foreign ministry said that the relations between the two countries are “marked by close historical and cultural linkages and strong people to people exchanges”.
“The prime minister’s visit to Iran will further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries,” it added.
