Visiting Pakistani President Parvez Musharraf and his accompanying delegation met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Monday, February 5.
Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Leader referred to the many cultural and historical and religious commonalities shared by the two nations of Iran and Pakistan. He called for the utilization of various political and economic capabilities in order to further expand the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the issue of energy as one of the important issues of the present age and the future. He also hinted at a project to establish a pipeline conveying natural gas from Iran to the Indian Subcontinent.
"Iran is a country that is also rich in gas resources, and we would like our Muslim brethren, including the nation of Pakistan, to benefit from the natural resources of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Ayatollah Khamenei told the Pakistani president.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic noted that concord and harmony is the most urgent requirement of the Islamic world. He referred to the fact that the enemies of the Muslim Ummah are trying to further their interests by fomenting discord and schism among Muslims.
Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed out that the Zionist occupier regime has been established by the arrogant powers with the intention of creating lasting discord in the Islamic world. He added that Israel has so far been a major factor causing schism in the Muslim Ummah, and that it will continue with the same policy in the future as well.
The Leader referred to the support extended by the United States and Britain to the Zionist regime as contributing to the continuation of Zionist crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.
"Any plan for the Middle East region will be successful only when it stops the U.S. bullying in the region and puts an end to Zionist crimes," the Leader observed.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that solving the Palestinian issue requires paying attention to the realities in the region.
"Israel's weakness which was exposed through the 33-day war in Lebanon, the Muslim nations' hatred for the Zionist regime and the United States and the Palestinian nation and Hamas government's resistance against the Zionists are among the realities that help to gain an insight into the Palestinian issue and find a solution to this issue," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic stated that the creation of sectarian and religious discord among Muslims is one of the plots hatched by the enemies of Islam.
"This dangerous plot is currently being carried out in Iraq and certain other countries, and it is incumbent on the Islamic countries and Muslim nations to foil the aliens in their plot through their unity and concord and vigilance," the Leader remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that what is of value is a just peace. Referring to the fact that the power of nations is the decisive factor with respect to different issues, he noted that this power is displayed not only at the time of confrontations, but that there are also various spheres and arenas in which the strong will and firm intention and power of nations are manifested.
Pakistani President Parvez Musharraf, also speaking at the meeting, said that his visit to Tehran has been aimed at strengthening the relations between the two countries and exploring the condition of the region and the Islamic world. Referring to the historical and cultural and religious commonalities of the two countries, he called for the further expansion of bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and his country.
President Musharraf further voiced great pleasure over the agreement reached between the two countries concerning a pricing formula for Iran's natural gas. He expressed the hope that the operations to lay a pipeline called the Peace Pipeline conveying Iran's natural gas to the subcontinent would get underway in the near future.
The Pakistani president also expressed his country's views on the condition of the Islamic world and the region. He described as necessary the cooperation among Islamic countries aimed at solving existing problems and restoring peace and stability.