Imran Khan, Hassan Rouhani discuss bilateral ties

TEHRAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held talks at the Saadabad presidential palace in Tehran.

The two leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional issues and ways and means to further bolster their relations in diverse fields.

Prime Minister Imran, who is in Iran on a two-day official visit, was earlier presented with an official welcome upon his arrival at the Saadabad Palace.

The premier will also call on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and meet Pakistani and Iranian business community during the visit.

The prime minister landed at the Tehran International Airport on Sunday, where he was warmly welcomed by Iranian Health Minister Dr Saeed Namaki. A smartly turned out contingent also presented him a static salute.

Prime Minister Imran is accompanied by a delegation comprising Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari, Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafarullah Mirza and Special Assistant on Petroleum Nadeem Baber.

Earlier, the premier arrived in Mashhad for a brief stop-over on his way to Tehran, where he visited the shrine of Hazrat Imam Raza and offered dua and nawafil.

PM Imran’s visit to Iran, the first since he took office last year, comes days after gunmen shot dead 14 people, including Pakistan Navy personnel, near Ormara in Balochistan.

On Saturday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad had evidence the “terrorist outfits” that carried out the attack have “training and logistic camps inside Iranian areas bordering Pakistan”.