ISLAMABAD: Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini has said that in the year 2023, the volume of trade between Pakistan and Iran will reach more than $ 2 billion, setting a new record in the trade area between the two countries. Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that past and present are the harbingers of a bright tomorrow for our dear homelands of Iran and Pakistan.
This was stated by Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini during a ceremony held on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran at the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad on Monday. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Coordination, Syed Tariq Fatemi, former federal minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), Dr, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Deputy Chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Liaqat Baloch, senior civil and military officials attended the ceremony.
A the start of the speech, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said he would like to avail this opportunity to express his heartiest sympathy to the government and honorable people of Turkiye and Syria due to the grievous death of a significant number of the citizens of these two friendly, brotherly and Muslim countries following a severe earthquake. “I wish God Almighty bless the souls of the deceased, patience for the survivors and families and recovery for the injured” he said.
He said that 44-years ago in the midst of a cold winter, Islamic Revolution of Iran won supported by the role and widespread participation of the people and under the leadership of Imam Khomeini (R.A). Following the revolution, in the March 1979, a nationwide referendum was held to provide opportunity for the people to elect the political system of the country as a result of which more than 98 percent of the electors voted for the Islamic Republic system of government, he said.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said this is the first time in the history of the international relations that the people can choose among the political systems and that a political system puts its acceptability, legitimacy and nature before referendum. Consequently On 2–3 December 1979, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was ratified by another popular referendum. In this referendum, 99.5 present of Iranian voters approved the constitution. Since then, the Iranian people have a key role in the determination of their political and social destiny through the democratic mechanisms. Iranian people participate actively in the political mechanisms of the country through different elections and as a result, every year an election is being held in Iran on average, he said.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that throughout these 44 years, despite obstacles such as the imposed war, sanctions, pressures and propaganda, Iranian people could attain great scientific, economic and technological achievements. And now I am proud to declare that the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys self-sufficiency in most of the scientific, technological, industrial and agricultural areas, he said. Among the others, medicine and pharmacology, peaceful nuclear energy, space science, robotics, defense industries, nanotechnology, genetics and stem cells are some examples to name a few, he said.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that one of the greatest achievements of Iran during the past few decades is the improvement of the status of women and family in all fields including health, education, entrepreneurship, investment and employment, social rights and so on and so forth. He said that women’s literacy has reached above 96 percent, more than 60 percent of the university students in Iran are women and girls, and the participation of the women in the country’s macro-management, decision-making and policy-making is significantly grown.
He said that the government and people of Iran are proud to have proven that; when it’s time for the negotiations based upon mutual respect and good will, they always respect the agreements and are fully committed to all the commitments agreed upon by them. Where they face with the maximum oppressive pressure, they will inflict an unprecedented defeat on the founders of the economic terrorism with maximum and heroic resistance and endurance, and when there is the matter of the violation of their rights and aggression by the hostile sides, they have defended the security of their country with courage and determination.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has played an incomparable role in ensuring the stability and security of the region and the world with heroic sacrifices at the forefront of the fight against the ominous phenomenon of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking. Iran has paid a heavy cost in this way and sacrificed valuable lives in the fight against the afore-mentioned plights, he said.
“We commemorate the memory of Iran’s national heroes who sacrificed their precious lives and body to ensure the peace and security in the country, region and the world. We appreciate the martyrs of the two countries who defended their homeland and devoted themselves in the fight against terrorism and extremism, he said.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that during the last few years, with the will and determination of the officials of the two friendly, brotherly and neighboring countries of Iran and Pakistan, the pace of the ties and relations, have been accelerated in various fields. Over the past three years, despite the pandemics, we had the honor to inaugurate two new border crossings at the common borders of Pishin-Mand and Rimdan-Gabed. Last summer the 21st Joint Commission of Economic Cooperation was successfully held in Islamabad, he said.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that in the year 2022, more than five exclusive trade exhibitions were held in different cities of Pakistan. About one month ago the trade tariffs for Pakistani export goods was removed as an Iranian initiative to expand Pakistani interest margin from bilateral trade. About two weeks ago, the electricity export from Iran to Pakistan increased by 2 times and up to more than 200 megawatts. In the year 2023, the volume of trade between the two countries will reach more than two billion dollars, setting a new record in the trade area between the two countries. Several sustenance markets and border market are also at the verge of opening in the near future, he said.
He said that with this in mind, the opportunities are galore between the two countries. Tourism need to be expanded in all areas beyond religious tourism including hearth and medicine, sightseeing, common heritage, entertainment and so on. The private sectors of the two countries should be strengthened and supported by the positive approach of the officials. People-to-people recognition and contact is of significant importance and need be regarded. Banking relations, Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, cooperation in the energy sector are among the issues that should be taken into account by a positive and constructive mindset.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that Iran enjoys geographical strategic location in the region, enormous natural resources, competitive and economical energy basket, human resources and a large potential market. It makes an incomparable capacity to develop and expand the all-around economic and trade cooperation in all fields with all the countries of the world. Meanwhile, Iran and Pakistan have a collective population of more than 300 million people, along with which a wide array of commonalities and links provides a mosaic constellation of opportunities for the activists of the two countries, he said.
“I wish a bright, promising and prosperous future with all-round improvement of the relations and ties between the two brotherly, friendly and neighboring countries of Iran and Pakistan” he said.