Pakistanis is part of our heart, says Iranian ambassador

“Pakistan is part of our heart. Top Iranian leadership has made it clear that Iranians will never allow any country to use the Chabahar port against Pakistan,” said Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardoost on Friday.

He told newsmen during his visit to the Karachi Press Club that Iran invited Pakistanis to invest in Chabahar port projects. He said Pakistan is a brotherly neighbouring country.
He said that completion of the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project by Islamabad, opening of bank branches in the two countries and singing of Free Trade Agreements would increase bilateral trade between both nations. To a question, he said that the CPEC project is an opportunity for Iran and other regional nations to become its part to augment trade and business.
“This region has suffered from lot of troubles over the past decades and the CPEC has potential to bring Iran, China, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan closer,” he said, adding that more regional cooperation among the nations would scale down their political tensions. He said that Iran sees the CPEC not more than a trade and business opportunity for all the neighbouring and regional nations. Similarly, he assured that the Chabahar port projects would serve the region with trade and economic growth.
Slamming the US for its ”bullying” approach that caused Iran to suffer over the past four decades, Honardoost said that some Western nations also contributed to his country”s troubles on the world stage. He said some Western countries imposed unfair sanctions on Iran.
He said Iran”s foreign policy was based on his nation”s belief that regional cooperation is the best solution to boost economy. He said that there are channels including trade, business and culture, which can intensify Pakistan and Iran ties.
Inviting the Pakistani investors, the Iranian envoy said that there are big and small projects, which can be exploited by the local business community. He said that Pakistan has a great labour resource while Iran owns capital; therefore, both nations could realise their potentials into a trade and business cooperation.