November 7, The Iran Project - Heading a high-ranking military delegation, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Tehran on Monday (Nov. 6)at the invitation of Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri.

During his three-day visit, Javed Bajwa is expected to confer on issues of mutual interest, border security and defense relations with his top Iranian officials.

On the first day of his visit, he held separate meetings with General Baqeri, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif.

After an official reception ceremony held in Bajwa's honor, the two army chiefs stressed the need for expansion of defense and security relations aimed at resolving common issues, particularly in identifying and combating factors that cause the spread of terrorist activities along Iran and Pakistan’s shared borders.

The two sides also called for development of defense and security cooperation in fields related to industry, research and education.

Meanwhile, President Rouhani in his meeting with top Pakistani official said that Tehran welcomes expansion of defensive and military cooperation with Islamabad hoping that such cooperation will lead to bolstering of political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Big powers are against unity and brotherhood between Muslims as they know that such relations will bring Muslims much closer and there is no doubt that these countries in the absence of global powers will be able to resolve their problems, Rouhani said.

The visiting Pakistani Army Chief, for his part, said people in Pakistan always respect Iranian people for their bravery and resistance against arrogant powers and 'we are determined to broaden all-out relations' with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Talking to Javed Bajwa, Foreign Minister Zarif proposed to supply Pakistan with its electricity and gas needs.

The meeting between Zarif and General Bajwa was focused on political, economic and security issues, including maintenance of border security, fight against drug trafficking, terrorism and extremism.

The two sides also urged the need to forge unity among Muslim nations, and vigilance of Muslim nation to foil the plots.