TEHRAN - Tehran's new ambassador to Islamabad, Alireza Haqiqiyan, submitted his credentials to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday. 

In his meeting with the president, Ambassador Haqiqiyan emphasized the need to increase the level of cooperation between the two countries in all spheres and said that Tehran is keen to expand ties with Islamabad given the fact that the two nations are bound together by a common history. 

Haqiqiyan also commented on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, saying that the two countries' officials are determined to fully implement the project. 

He expressed hope that the project will be finished by the deadline. 

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2013.

Zardari expressed hope that Haqiqiyan would be able to carry out his mission successfully and said that Iran-Islamabad relationship should be strengthened. 

Zardari also said that Pakistan is ready to host the next summit that the presidents of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan plan to hold in the future. 

The most recent meeting of the three countries at the presidential level was held in Tehran on June 24, 2011.