Mews- Middle East: Iran and Pakistan have called for greater cooperation, including parliamentary ties, to strengthen ties and coordination against “common enemies,” while condemning Israeli act of aggression and terrorism in the region.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference of Speakers of Parliaments in Islamabad on Wednesday, the Iranian Parliament's deputy speaker Ali Nikzad and Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reaffirmed their countries’ shared positions on regional and Islamic world issues. 

Nikzad expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s hospitality and strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Islamabad, offering condolences to the victims’ families and to the people and government of Pakistan. 

He also praised Pakistan’s support for Iran during the 12-day war imposed by the Israeli regime in June, emphasizing that the two neighboring countries are determined to seize opportunities to expand bilateral relations. 

Sadiq, for his part, lauded the resistance of the Iranian people in the face of Israeli attacks and praised Tehran for its “befitting response” to Israel.

In a separate interview with Pakistan’s Urdu-language Samaa TV, Nikzad said Iran’s missile strike successfully penetrated Israel’s eight-layered defense and specifically aimed at the Mossad command center. 

Nikzad emphasized that while the Israeli regime targeted Iranian residential areas, Iran retaliated by targeting the Mossad command center. 

“The final missile launched by Iran successfully bypassed the defensive layers and struck sensitive military and security installations, effectively targeting the regime's spy center,” he said.

Highlighting the shared cultural and religious ties between the two nations, Nikzad called for expanded trade and political cooperation with Pakistan, noting that current bilateral trade stands at about $3 billion and could reach $10 billion through coordinated planning.

He further underlined that “peace and security are essential for regional development,” noting that the US and Israel remain “serious threats” to stability in the region.

Pakistan, Iran’s most populous neighbor, has joined Iran in expressing a determination to boost trade volume through targeted planning and by removing existing barriers.

During the official two-day visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan in August, Tehran and Islamabad signed 12 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in various sectors.

The agreements cover a wide range of areas, including tourism, agriculture, judicial and legal cooperation, industry, science and technology, transportation and transit, cultural heritage, and commercial and economic cooperation.

Source: Press TV