Iranian FM calls on PM Nawaz in Islamabad

Investment in infrastructure, oil imports and ironing out troubles over the planned Chabahar port development project are on the agenda as Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif meets the government in Delhi on Friday. He said that Israeli propaganda over the course of the last 36 years caused deep mistrust between the two countries, but that the signing of the JCPoA hailed the beginning of a change in relations between Tehran and Washington.

Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed Tuesday Lebanon’s Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s role in fighting terrorism and maintaining security in the country.

Iran, Zarif said, hopes that the talks between the Afghan Taliban and Afghan government, which is being mediated by Pakistan, would help bring peace in the region. Iran, Hezbollah and Russian Federation have been the biggest backers of the Assad regime throughout the deteriorating conflict.

He said the regional situation and threat from extremism were also discussed during the meeting.

Elsewhere in the war-torn country, at least 31 civilians were killed in Syrian government air strikes Wednesday on the Eastern Ghouta region near Damascus as a barrage of deadly rebel rocket fire hit the capital, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that reports on the war, said no fighting had been reported in Zabadani, Kefraya or al-Foua after the ceasefire’s agreed start time. The shelling on Wednesday came from the suburbs and killed five people, according to state television and antigovernment activists.

“The goal of the visit is to review bilateral ties between the two countries in the context of Iran’s recent nuclear deal”, he said.

Hezbollah’s leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah also met with Zarif.

“We are ready to extend our hand for cooperation with all the neighbors and to exchange ideas for joint work against terrorism”, he said after meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil.

Hizbullah has for weeks been trying to take back control of Zabadani from rebel forces.

Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham as saying that Iranian proposals were an updated version of a peace plan the Islamic Republic proposed to the UN previous year.