Photo courtesy ISPR
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Asim Munir on Monday met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who is currently on a three-day visit of Pakistan, and emphasized the need for “improved coordination” against terrorists along the Pak-Iran border, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday.
The military’s media wing said the Army chief described the Pak-Iran border as “the border of peace and friendship,” and said improving coordination along the border would prevent terrorists from jeopardizing the longstanding brotherly ties between the two neighboring countries.
It said the discussion between the COAS and the visiting dignitary primarily focused on matters of mutual interest, notably regional peace, stability, and border security. “Both sides concurred on the necessity to bolster bilateral cooperation while jointly striving for regional stability and economic prosperity,” said ISPR.
During the meeting, it said, President Raisi stressed on fostering cooperation between the two armed forces to attain peace and stability for both nations and the region.
The Iranian head of state arrived in Pakistan on Monday, landing in Islamabad, where he met President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Army chief and other senior officials. During a press conference with the prime minister, he said the current quantum of trade volume between Pakistan and Iran was “not acceptable,” adding it should be increased to $10 billion.
After spending the day in Islamabad, Raisi reached Lahore on Tuesday morning, paying respects at the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal. He then flew to Karachi and paid respects at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He is set to return to Tehran on Wednesday.