As the Pakistani foreign ministry has confirmed on Monday Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif’s visit to Pakistan on August 13, Iran has expressed its willingness to export 3,000 megawatts to Pakistan.
“Yes, it is confirmed that the Iranian foreign minister would be visiting Pakistan,” said Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Qazi Khalilullah.
“The purpose of the visit is to review bilateral ties between the two countries in the context of Iran’s recent nuclear deal,” added Khalilullah. The Iranian foreign minister is expected to hold talks with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz. During the visit, Javad Zarif is also expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
IRAN READY TO SELL 1,000MW TO PAKISTAN:
Iran on Monday expressed willingness to speed up cooperation in the power sector with Pakistan. The offer was made by the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Raza.
A meeting was held between the Iranian envoy and Secretary Water and Power Mohammad Younus Dagha at the ministry of water and power. Various ongoing and future energy projects between the two countries were discussed.
“The Iranian envoy said that Iran is willing and ready to export 3,000 megawatts to Pakistan,” said a spokesperson for the ministry. The secretary of the ministry also added that both the countries were already working on the proposal for import of 1,000MW from Iran.
It was decided during the meeting that a high-level delegation from Pakistan will visit Iran in the coming weeks to negotiate and finalise arrangements for purchase of 1,000MW. The delegation which will visit Iran is also expected to discuss feasibility for import of further 2,000MW from Iran. Earlier in July, Iran and six major powers reached a historic nuclear deal which will grant Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.
In June, after a gap of about five years, the freight train service between Pakistan and Iran was also re-launched. Zarif had last visited Pakistan in April this year, and discussed matters related to the Yemen crisis during his visit. Bilateral ties, the situation in Afghanistan, and issues of mutual concern were also a topic of conversation.
