FAREWELL RECEPTION HELD IN HONOUR OF IRANIAN ENVOY SEYED MUHAMMAD ALI HOSSEINI IN ISLAMABAD

Islamabad - (Adnan Hameed) : In a bid to farewell the Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan H.E. Seyed Muhammad Ali Hosseini, a farewell reception was hosted in his honour by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad on April 28, 2023. A great number of Media alongwith senior former diplomats and intellectuals attended the reception. The Iranian envoy was of the view that journalists and media members can help in promoting ties, boosting cooperation, removing misunderstandings, lifting tensions and bridging the gaps. Ambassador said, “We pay tribute to all the journalists that sacrificed their most loved life in engaging their careers to promote justice, truth and love around the world”. While talking to his opening remarks, the Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan after its independence in 1947. Since the relations between the two countries are on the move, he added. Senator Mushahid also talked about rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia and termed it a positive development in terms of peace and stability in the region. He was of the view that China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan can surely constitute a force to be reckoned with. Mushahid also declared sanctions on Iran as unwarranted adding despite these sanctions Iran has shown phenomenal progress in all spheres. He said Pakistan too had faced severe sanctions in the past. Senator said the world has changed altogether and those who impose such sanctions must realize the ground realities. “The capacities of the commonalities and links in the various areas of history, civilization, language, religion, geography, culture and so on should be availed for the betterment of the life of the people and for the development of the indigenous region which is a homeland to all of us and our next generations,” the envoy said while talking to journalists. About Iran and Pakistan’s bilateral ties the ambassador said, Iran has strengthened its relations with the neighbouring, brotherly and friendly country of Pakistan in line with its policy of close relationship with its neighbours, and still now, this goal is being followed up nonstop and despite the obstacles. He said, “During my mission in the neighboring and brotherly country of Pakistan, despite the illegal and unfair sanctions against my country, and despite the restrictions that the spread of pandemics imposed on all of us, we witnessed great progress and developments in the various aspects of our relations with Pakistan including political, economic, security and trade.” In the political field, he said, high-level political exchanges and consultations and close cooperation in regional developments, kept a reasonable pace and continued appropriately. He said with the great determination and efforts made by the authorities of the two countries trade volume had reached $2.2 billion between Iran and Pakistan. He said that great progress has been made in other fields of cooperation including cultural, scientific, defence and security. He said, during my stay in brotherly country of Pakistan, we witnessed great progress and developments in the various aspects of our relations with Pakistan including political, economic, security and trade. In his concluding remarks, outgoing ambassador of Iran Syed Muhammad Ali Hosseini in his speech thanked the guests for attending the event.