Iran will always support trade and investment in Sindh Iranian Envoy

Consulate General of Islamic Republic of Iran here will welcome and support any initiative and cooperation from Pakistani business community, especially of Sindh, and will play an active role in exchange of information on trade and investment avenues on both ends.

"One of my key duties here, is to facilitate and develop political, economic, trade, academic and cultural relations and cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, especially development of trade relations with province of Sindh. Therefore, all the efforts of my colleagues are dedicated to facilitate access to each other's markets," said Consul General of Iran in Karachi, Ahmad Mohammadi.

Iranian Consul General was speaking at a reception hosted by him to celebrate 39th anniversary of victory of Islamic Revolution of Iran, here at the Consulate. Many business, political and social personalities, besides media and diplomats from different countries attended the function, said press release here on Monday.

Being the Consul General of Islamic Republic of Iran, he offered his best compliments, on the occasion of 39th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution, to Hazrat Ayatollah Khamenei, who brought revolution, and Iranian President Dr. Hasan Rouhani, and all Iranians particularly those living in Pakistan.

As a diplomat in Karachi for last one year, Ahmad Mohammadi recalled, he enjoyed a very good stay: having very friendly relations with Sindh Government functionaries specially with Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani, great Ulema, intellectual, business community, Local Government authorities, Federal Government organisations and media besides diplomatic missions here.

"I extend my thanks to the government of Pakistan and Sindh provincial bodies for their cooperation," he said. He said in pursuance of the desire of the high-ranking authorities of Iran and Pakistan, last year as well, the embassy and consulates general of Iran in Pakistan made their best efforts for further strengthening the long historical relations between these brotherly Islamic countries.

The recent visits to Pakistan by the President of Iran, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Foreign Minister and many other Iranian authorities and the reciprocal visits by Pakistani authorities to Iran were the examples of the deep relations and positively directed mutual cooperation between them, he said.

The Consul General said that for promoting bilateral trade, Iranian and Pakistani companies had an active presence in the exhibitions of the two countries and had signed many agreements with each other. This showed huge economic and trade potential existing on both sides, which must be utilized fully to the benefit of the two nations.

He said the trade between the two countries showed 33 percent growth as compared to the previous year. Over last nine months, as a result of the facilities provided by the Iranian side to Pakistani rice exporters, the volume of Pakistani rice export to Iran had jumped up by 42 percent.

Besides, he added, in view of the cultural wealth and tourism potential of the two countries, the Iranian Embassy and the Consulates made efforts for promoting pilgrimage and tourism travels between the two countries.

Iranian envoy was confident that during the current year also, Iran-Pakistan friendly relations and cooperation would develop further. Iranian Consul General also recalled and appreciated that Pakistan was being the first country recognizing the Islamic Revolution of Iran.