SHANA (Tehran) - Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber says that Pakistani officials are expected to closely pursue implementation of unfulfilled deals including Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project (IP) expressing Iran’s readiness for cooperation to remove the hurdles.

According to the news website of the Presidency Office, speaking with Pakistan prime minister in a phone call, the acting president congratulated Eid al-Adha to Pakistani prime minister Shahbaz Sharif calling the neighboring country a strategic partner.

Mokhber expressed hope that annual bilateral trade between the two neighboring countries to rise to 10 billion dollars, which was set as a target during the late Iranian president Ibrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan early this year.

Calling Pakistan a strategic partner, Mohammad Mokhber also stressed on the necessity of boosting bilateral relations in all aspects including political, economic and cultural by relying on all existing potentials.

Pakistani prime minister Shabaz Shafir reciprocally congratulated Eid al-Adha describing Iran-Pakistan relations old, historic and based on deep cultural and religious ties expressing deep interest of his country to consolidate bilateral relations with Iran especially mutual economic relations.

Pakistani prime minister said that Iranian late president visits to Pakistan opened a new chapter in reinforcing relations between the two neighboring countries stressing on Islam Abad commitment to accurate implementation of those deals including rising bilateral trade to 10 billion dollars and removing the hurdles on the way of IP implementation.