FM Qureshi leaves for Iran after winding up three-day UAE visit

(Karachi) After winding up a three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has left for Iran, local media reported Tuesday.

In a video message before departure, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the visit will provide him an opportunity to discuss the regional situation with the Iranian leadership.

He maintained that the Afghan peace process holds importance for Iran just like Pakistan as it is the neighbor of Afghanistan.

Qureshi pointed out that he will hold talks with Iranian leadership on promoting bilateral cooperation and enhancing ties.

The foreign minister said both Pakistan and Iran have supported each other in difficult times and it will be our endeavor to further strengthen the relationship. He thanked the Iranian leadership's categorical stance on the Kashmir dispute.

Earlier in an interview, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed hope that the Afghan peace summit to be held in Turkey could create new momentum towards a political settlement between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

He urged the Taliban to remain engaged in the Afghan peace process after the armed group said it would now shun summits about Afghanistan until all foreign forces leave.

Qureshi said that Pakistan will do whatever it can to convince them [Taliban] that it is in their national interest to remain engaged.

He said withdrawal delays were always a possibility due to logistics but that the Taliban had largely succeeded in their objective for foreign troops to withdraw and so should show flexibility towards the new September 11 deadline.

FM Qureshi said he feared violence could escalate if the peace process remains deadlocked, plunging Afghanistan into civil war and leading to an exodus of Afghans.