TEHRAN – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit flood-stricken regions in Pakistan in the near future.

In a meeting with Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik here on Monday, Ahmadinejad expressed his heartfelt condolences over the massive floods, saying Iran is ready to send more relief aid to the country.
Malik, for his part, thanked Iran for sending aid to Pakistan and provided the president with a report on the damages caused by the devastating floods.
The death toll from floods in Pakistan has risen to more than 1,600 with up to 20 million people having been affected by the floods so far.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that the country needed at least three years to recover.
Common interests
Ahmadinejad said Iran and Pakistan share common interests in many areas.
The president went on to say that terrorists spare no effort to create insecurity in the region, adding the two countries can foil their plots through closer cooperation.
Malik also said his country will not allow any attack against Iran from Pakistan’s soil.
President Ahmadinejad and the Pakistani minister were indirectly referring to heinous crimes by hooligans such as the terrorist Rigi group which use Pakistan’s soil as a hideout for carrying out attacks in the border province of Sistan-Balouchestan.
In a separate meeting with Malik late Monday, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran always stands by the Pakistani government and nation.
Mottaki said the bandits should not assume they can disturb the two countries’ friendly ties through mischievous acts in the border regions.
Mottaki expressed Iran’s readiness to restore security in common borders.
For his part, Malik insisted that a joint strategy must be drawn up to ensure border security