Welcome peace gesture by Pakistan, says Rouhani alongside PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran during his one-day official trip, with both the leaders emphasising on the need for peace in the region.

"I told Prime Minster Imran we welcome any gesture by Pakistan for peace in the region and appreciate his visit to our country," said Rouhani at a joint press conference with the premier.

Rouhani said that the two leaders had discussed, among other things, the war in Yemen and the sanctions by the United States on Iran.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speak to the media in Tehran. "Regional issues have to be resolved through regional means and dialogue. We also emphasised that any goodwill gesture will be responded with a goodwill gesture and good words," said the Iranian president.

"We also discussed how the nuclear deal could be restored," added Rouhani.

Prime Minister Imran thanked Rouhani for speaking up for the people of occupied Kashmir at the UN General Assembly in New York, where the two leaders also held a meeting on the sidelines.

"Mr President, the main reason I came here with my delegation is that we don't want conflict in the region. Pakistan suffered 70,000 casualties in the last 15 years in the 'war on terror', Afghanistan is still suffering, [there is ] terrible devastation in Syria - we don't want another conflict in this part of the world," said Imran.

"Mr President, we have Iran as a neighbour, our ties with Iran go way back. Saudi Arabia has been one of our closest friends. Saudi Arabia has helped us when we have needed, when we have been in need and so the reason for this trip was that we don't want a conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"We recognise that it is a complex issue but we feel that it can be resolved through dialogue. What should never happen is a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran because this will not just affect this whole region - two brotherly countries will be affected - this will cause poverty in the world. Oil prices will go up.

"There is vested interest behind this conflict," added the premier.