PM felicitates Iranian president: ‘Pakistan, Iran may face Afghan refugees’ influx’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President-elect Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi Sunday emphasized the need for continuing to facilitate an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive political settlement.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Imran called up Raisi and congratulated him on his victory in the presidential elections. He told Raisi that his election manifests the Iranian people’s trust in his leadership.

Imran also thanked Iran for its steadfast support on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the upward trajectory of bilateral relations and agreed on further boosting the existing cooperation, in particular in its economic dimension.

It was affirmed that establishment of border sustenance markets along Pakistan-Iran border was an important step, which would yield economic and social benefits for the people of both countries.

In the regional context, Prime Minister Imran expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, and cautioned that the latest developments could lead to serious repercussions for both Pakistan and Iran, resulting in an influx of refugees towards their border areas.

Imran strongly underscored the need for a negotiated political solution to the Afghan conflict. Both sides emphasized the need to continue facilitating an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive political settlement.

The prime minister thanked Iran for its steadfast support for the just cause of Jammu and Kashmir. Expressing concern over the serious human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and Palestine, the two leaders emphasised the need for resolving these long-standing disputes in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.