TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Tehran and Islamabad are working to resolve technical issues behind the suspension of cross-border traffic from Pakistan, stressing that bilateral relations remain strong.
"Let us avoid making judgments or attributing motives. We were informed that certain technical issues are currently being addressed. Our relations with Pakistan are outstanding, with an important historical background," Baghaei said at a weekly press conference in Tehran.
He noted that exports from the Iranian side are continuing.
Baghaei said that Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan as a sovereign state following its independence in 1947, and has had friendly relations with it since then.
He expressed hope that the border closure issue would soon be resolved, noting that Iranian officials have pursued the matter through phone calls with their Pakistani counterparts over the past few days.
Baghaeie added that if Pakistani officials visit Iran or Iranian officials travel to Islamabad, it will certainly be a priority in discussions between the two sides.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian state television reported.
On Saturday, Baghaei announced the temporary suspension of cross-border traffic and transactions between Iran and Pakistan due to technical issues. ■
