Zarif Discusses Afghanistan and Yemen with Pakistani Officials

Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, arrived in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on Thursday morning, August 22. He told reporters that he would discuss "Yemen, Afghanistan, and some other regional countries facing challenges" with officials from that country. After arriving in Pakistan, he met with Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister. Iran is considered a supporter of the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Nawaz Sharif had stated in mid-April that his country would stand by Saudi Arabia regarding the Yemen crisis and would broaden its support for Riyadh. This effectively means Islamabad's verbal support for the battles and attacks of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis. At Benazir Bhutto Airport in Islamabad, Zarif stated to reporters that "Pakistan is one of Iran's very close friends." Afghanistan, which is also a topic of discussion, shares borders with both Iran and Pakistan and faces extensive security crises. Afghan officials have criticized Pakistani security organizations for their interference in Afghanistan's affairs. Recently, talks have taken place to establish peace between the government and the Taliban insurgents, part of which has occurred in Pakistan. Reports have also emerged about a group of Taliban members meeting with officials in Iran, which the Iranian Foreign Ministry has expressed "unawareness" about. In mid-April, Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, visited Tehran, where he discussed "expanding cooperation" between Tehran and Kabul with President Hassan Rouhani. According to Iranian news agencies, "ways to expand cooperation, the nuclear agreement, and regional issues" are expected to be the main topics of Zarif's discussions with officials in Islamabad. Zarif and Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistani Foreign Minister, will also participate in a press conference.