QUETTA: Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost has said that his country has no objection to Saudi investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and that Tehran will welcome investments from any Muslim country.

Speaking at a press conference after his three-day visit to Quetta, he rejected the rumours that Iran was against Saudi investment in Balochistan. He said the CPEC was not just a transit route or a trade project, but was a game changer which would transform the region. “Iran is ready to play its role in CPEC as it would open the doors of development and prosperity,” the envoy said.

Responding to a question about fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States, Mr Honardoost said: “… Threats of sanctions are not new. We have been facing them for four decades now.” Although he acknowledged that it was going to be difficult, he said the Iranian people were ready to face any challenges imposed on them by the US.

“Iranians have never given up in the face of intimidation, and that will not change this time either. We will not compromise on our national security.”

The envoy denied Iran’s alleged involvement in supporting terrorism and said that the entire world was coping with the threat of extremists. He claimed that accusing Iran of sponsoring terrorism was a ploy by enemy states to pit Muslim countries against one another. “Iran itself is a target of terrorism and has faced IS [militant Islamic State group] on the frontlines. Tehran has played its role in fighting the grave threats.”

He also denied that Iran was sending fighters to Syria after recruiting them from Pakistan and elsewhere. “If any Pakistani wants to go fight in Syria, what can Iran do about it? We have no part to play in such recruitments and we are not sending fighters to Syria.” However, he said that this question must be put to those who were interfering in Syria, and were financing groups that were fighting against the government there. “These countries have made the world their punching bag.”

Referring to the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, the ambassador said that Iran had completed a significant portion of the pipeline and construction work on the remaining 180 kilometres was ongoing. However, he said, Pakistan must start working on the project as well. “We understand Pakistan’s position in the gas pipeline project,” he said, adding that the pipeline projects would create new avenues for employment, development and prosperity.

He said that Pakistan and Iran already had cordial relations, but with greater economic ties, the relationship would only improve. “Iran and Pakistan can solve their problems by cooperating with each other.”

He said that anti-Islam forces in the world were working together to pit Muslim countries against one another. “Pakistan and Iran must be wary of these ploys. We are strategic partners.” The ambassador continued that there were elements that wanted to damage the relationship between the two countries, and they were responsible for violence in the border areas. He also added that smugglers and traffickers were involved as well because they needed Iranian routes to carry out their heinous trade.

The envoy, on his visit to Quetta, met representatives of the business community, the chief minister, and the governor to discuss strengthening ties between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2018