Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly and a senior official in the country's governing party, said Iran and Pakistan are able to overcome mutual challenges and concerns through closer cooperation.
"Iran is a major country in the region and a very important ally and neighbor of Pakistan," Sadiq said in a recent interview with IRNA.
He pointed to the recent visit to Iran by National Security Advisor of Pakistan Nasser Khan Janjua and said connections and regular visits of the two sides' officials are indications of the resolve and willingness of both sides to expand ties.
Emphasizing the importance of Janjua's meetings with senior Iranian security, political and defense officials, the speaker said Pakistan and Iran need to work together and cooperate in fighting against terrorism and addressing other ominous issues in the region and take steps to solve mutual concerns by finding solutions to regional conflicts.
"I believe Iran plays an active role in regional matters," Sadiq said, adding that as one of the most democratic countries in the Middle East, it can be a proper role model for other countries.
He pointed to his calls and meetings with Ali Larijani, the Iranian parliament speaker, over the past months and years, and said there are regular interactions between the two speakers to boost relations between the two neighbors.
Sadiq welcomed Larijani's invitation to travel to Tehran. He said the trip to Tehran, which will come in the coming months, is aimed at broadening parliamentarian ties and boosting mutual relations between Tehran and Islamabad.
