IRNA - U.S. President Donald Trump’s harsh strategy towards Pakistan has created a space for closer Iran, Pakistan ties as the two countries have vowed to expand cooperation against common US-posed threats.

The ties between the US and Pakistan further deteriorated after the US president had tweeted that his country made an unwise decision to provide over $33 billion aid to Pakistan in the last 15 years.

In his tweet, Trump had accused Pakistan of giving nothing in return except lies and deceit by taking the US for a fool, saying, “They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

Meanwhile in a related development reflecting on worsening ties, the US ambassador to Pakistan was summoned to the Foreign Office and a strong protest over Trump’s remarks was lodged with him.

On the other hand, ties between Iran and Pakistan are improving especially a new turn in the bilateral ties came after the historic visit of Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajawa to Tehran in November last year.

Iran and Pakistan have been enjoying strong brotherly relations since the creation of Pakistan way back in 1947. Since then the two countries have always been supporting each other on world issues.

The last year has seen major developments in Iran-Pakistan ties and it is expected that the year proved to be fruitful for relations between the two neighboring states in the coming year as well.

In a recent development, Pakistan Prime Minister's National Security Adviser (NSA) Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua has gone to Iran to discuss regional developments and bilateral ties.

During his meeting with secretary of Iran’s National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, Janjua said that Pakistan will improve its security and economic relations with its neighboring country, Iran.

On the other hand, Shamkhani slammed the US statements against Pakistan and Iran. He said that US policy is hypocritical. “We have to continue to work on cooperating against the US.”

Criticizing the US new national security strategy that will increase insecurity and instability in the world, Shamkhani said that the double-standard and rift-widening policies of the US against Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan, necessitate alertness and deterring measures and expansion of ties among Muslim countries.

Meanwhile Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier General Amir Hatami in a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Khurram Dastagir Khan said that the US has always blamed others for its defeats in various parts of the world and pursued the Zionists approach to destabilize the region.

Pakistani defense minister, for his part, welcomed expansion of defense cooperation between the two sides, and said rapid developments require closer cooperation between Iran and Pakistan.

Both the ministers also agreed that recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Zionist regime by the United States had violated international understanding and destabilized the Middle East.

Iran and Pakistan are also trying to enhance bilateral trade ties and leaders of the two countries have agreed to enhance the bilateral trade volume up to $5 billion by 2021.