TEHRAN -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Muhammad Baqeri says the Islamic Republic sees no limits to strengthening military cooperation with Pakistan, especially given the 2020 termination of a decade-long UN arms embargo on Tehran.
In a meeting with visiting Pakistani Air Staff Chief Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, Baqeri dismissed Washington’s unilateral sanctions against Iran as insignificant.
He explained that with the UN arms embargo against Iran having been lifted, there is no major obstacle to expanding Iran’s military cooperation with Pakistan.
Bagheri noted that Tehran and Islamabad enjoy a certain level of military cooperation which should be diversified and deepened.
According to the Iranian general, the two sides are expected to draw up cooperation plans within two years with regard to manned and unmanned aircraft technology, in which, he said, a lot of progress has been made in Iran.
He also expressed hope that Iran and Pakistan would exchange their military experience and modern technologies in the near future.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the top Iranian general said Iran regards Pakistan’s security as its own and will spare no efforts to improve the security situation there.
“I believe that we, through expansion of cooperation and conclusion of different agreements, should not allow foreign powers to gain a foothold in the region,” he said.
In recent years, Iran and Pakistan have stepped up their bilateral military cooperation and have held a number of joint naval exercises.
The Pakistani general, for his part, said his country is keen to hold joint military drills with Iran given the very sensitive and important geopolitical situation of the region.
He also said that Islamabad will dispatch a delegation to Tehran to discuss the implementation of joint plans.
In a separate meeting with Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Muhammad Reza Ashtiani, Zaheer Ahmad hailed Iran’s advances in the aviation industry and thanked Tehran for its efforts to enhance security along common border areas.
Ashtiani also said cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad can effectively help improve the security situation in West Asia.
“Both countries should not allow third parties to influence the process of developing and deepening their bilateral cooperation,” he said.
Pointing to the “important and effective” role of Iran and Pakistan in the developments in the region and the Muslim world, he said, “Pakistan has always had a special position in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”