Iran's Zarif in Pakistan for second visit during PTI government

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived here at the Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) Wednesday morning for what marks his second visit during the newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's government.

Zarif is expected to meet his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and Khan, who is also the chairperson of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The Iranian diplomat previously travelled to Pakistan on August 31 when he and Khan had discussed matters related to bilateral relations and regional security.

The Pakistani premier, at that time, had said the two countries enjoy historical and religious ties and that the people of both nations needed to extend cooperation in different fields.

Iranian FM ⁦@JZarif⁩ arrives in Pakistan #PakIranbrotherhood pic.twitter.com/5nB7FJIGnJ

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) October 31, 2018

Zarif had also met Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Jawed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi where, according to the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two talked regional security and matters of mutual interest.

The Iranian foreign minister had appreciated Pakistan’s contributions to the prevention of regional conflict. Islamabad took sincere steps towards peace and stability in South Asia, Zarif had said.

During his meeting with Qureshi, the two ministers, as per the Foreign Office (FO), had discussed the ways to enhance cooperation and strengthen relations between the two states.