Iran's VP Arrives In Islamabad

Islamabad, Feb. 6, IRNA - Iran's Vice-President for International Affairs, Ali Saeedlou arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss the upcoming visit to Pakistan by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A delegation comprising economic personalities and private sector managers are accompanying Saeedlou during his visit to Pakistan. Pakistani officials and Iranian diplomats received the Iranian vice president and members of his accompanying delegation upon their arrival in Islamabad. Saeedlou will hold meetings with Pakistani officials on Monday, IRNA quoted official and diplomatic sources as saying. Saeedlou is scheduled to call on Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and other officials to discuss bilateral ties and the upcoming visit of the Iranian President. President Ahmadinejad will attend the trilateral summit on Afghanistan along with Afghanistan and Pakistani leaders. Afghan President Hamid Karzai will pay a two-day to Islamabad on February 16-17, according to a statement by Afghan government. The last trilateral summit was held in Tehran in June 2011. Analysts believe that Pakistan and Iran are major key players in the region and can play important role in the Afghan peace process. Before his departure to Pakistan on Sunday, Saeedlou said in Tehran that expansion of Tehran-Islamabad trade and economic ties plays a vital role in fostering political relations between the two countries. Saeedlou also stressed that his visit is aimed at bolstering Tehran-Islamabad economic ties, attending the Second Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan Summit and paving the way for the upcoming visit to Pakistan of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He further referred to the current relations between the two Muslim and neighboring states as cordial./end