TEHRAN, March 17 (MNA) – The joint gas project with Iran that meet Pakistan's energy needs, is considered very important to the country, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan said.

Iran's Ambassador to Islamabad Reza Amiri Moghaddam met with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and they exchanged views on the latest developments related to bilateral relations.

In this meeting, the Speaker of the Pakistani Parliament called for comprehensive cooperation and relations with Iran and added, "The capacity of the parliaments of the two countries should be used to help strengthen the volume of trade and open economic cooperation." Attaching importance to the geographical situation of Iran and Pakistan in increasing regional and international trade, he said, "Strengthening bilateral trade on common borders and addressing technical issues to expand economic cooperation is inevitable." Pakistan welcomes the strengthening of economic cooperation with Iran, the exchange of trade and business delegations, especially the interaction between the private and public sectors, he stressed.

He also emphasized that the joint gas project with Iran that meet Pakistan's energy needs, is considered very important to the country.

Expressing his satisfaction with the successful holding of the recent elections in Pakistan and the formation of the new government, the Iranian ambassador also announced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to activate parliamentary friendship groups, cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries in important regional and international forums, strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and exchanging delegations.

MNA/IRN85420663