ISLAMABAD (Dispatches) -- Iran and Pakistan called on the United Nations Security Council in a joint statement issued on Wednesday to take action against Israel, saying the occupying regime had “illegally” targeted regional countries and foreign diplomatic facilities.
The joint statement, released by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, followed a three-day visit to the country by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East.
“Recognizing that the irresponsible act of the Israeli regime forces was a major escalation in an already volatile region, both sides called on the UN Security Council to prevent the Israeli regime from its adventurism in the region and its illegal acts attacking” the regional countries, Iran and Pakistan said in their joint statement.
They also called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as well as unimpeded access to humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza, and the return of Palestinian refugees.
Acknowledging that the common border between Pakistan and Iran should be a “border of peace and friendship”, both sides stressed the importance of regular cooperation and exchange of views between the political, military and security authorities of the two countries to deal with threats such as terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, hostage taking, money laundering and kidnapping.
The two sides agreed on the further expansion of commercial and economic cooperation and on their commitment to transform their common border from a border of peace to a border of prosperity through common development-oriented economic projects, including the creation of common border markets, free economic zones and the opening of new borders.
They also emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of energy, including electricity trade, power transmission lines and the IP gas pipeline project.
Raisi, who wrapped up his visit and flew on to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, vowed to boost trade between Iran and Pakistan to $10 billion a year.
During his visit to Pakistan, Raisi was quoted by Iran’s official IRNA news agency as saying any further Israeli attack on Iranian territory could radically change the dynamics and result in there being nothing left of the “Zionist regime”.
On April 13, Tehran launched a barrage of missiles and drones at the Zionist entity in retaliation for Israel’s terrorist attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on April 1.
Iran and Pakistan vowed during Raisi’s visit to boost trade and energy cooperation, including on a major gas pipeline deal that has faced delays due to geopolitical issues and international sanctions.