Akbar Gasemi was speaking at an international conference titled “Cross Regional Media Fusion among the Belt and Road Partners” organized by Center for Global and Strategic Studies, (CGSS) in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The Iranian expert said, “Today, we are experiencing international and regional developments in critical conditions, but the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan always play a key and irreplaceable role as regional actors in the field of regional security and development.

“Fortunately, the leaders of Iran and Pakistan, with a proper understanding of mutual respect, common interests, and a constructive role in the multilateral strategy, provide for the convergence of more inclusive cooperation for the CIS and west of Asia region”, noted Gasemi.

He went on to say that Iran has taken a constructive approach to the implementation of the China One Belt One Road Initiative project and considers the success of the project to be dependent on its interconnection through maritime and land corridors between the Chabahar and Gwadar ports.

The expert said this is clear because of the many advantages such as: interconnected social geography and culture, ready rail infrastructure and port, road, air infrastructure as well as a boom in ongoing exchanges across several homogeneous areas, can further enhance the co-operation of the continent.

“To be honest, the BRI project has a good design and investment perspective in terms of planning and engineering, but one of the main foundations for this project is the media, enlightenment, information and so on,” viewed Akbar Gasemi.

The expert said coordinated working group of BRI member states should manage the calculated propaganda of the American and Western propaganda machine which unfairly targets the advantages and benefits of the “BRI” project through consecutive and innovative coherent guidelines.

He said the success of an inter-regional media fusion program with members of the BRI project depends directly on the three factors of financial credits, multidimensional design, and continuous staff coordination.

**Iran for improved inter-regional cooperation

Replying to a question Gasemi said: We welcome the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project and relations with all of the regional countries, but along with the BRI we have Chabahar project.

He said: Hopefully we will have more cooperation and consolidate with the different officials in the CPEC and find a better mechanism and improve more inter-regional cooperation for our benefit in the region.

** Pakistan committed to CPEC

Pakistan’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan in her address said that government is committed to fast track implementation of all CPEC related projects.

She said CPEC is flag ship project which will change fate of entire region and usher a new era of prosperity. The Special Assistant also expressed government’s resolve to facilitate the investors in CPEC’s projects.

** Chabahar, Gwadar complementary ports

Major General (Retd) Syed Khalid Amir Jaffery, President Center for Global and Strategic Studies, (CGSS) in his remarks said Chabahar and Gwadar are complementary ports and they are not rival ports.

He said that the BRI is a game changer to which many countries of the region would like to benefit.

The analyst added that BRI is a comprehensive project to promote connectivity in the region.  The analyst noted that western media is doing a negative propaganda against the BRI.

Jaffery was of the view that the policy of the containment of China has proved to be a catalyst in initiating the BRI project.

** China believes in policy of non- confrontation

Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of China, Pang Chunxue expressing her views said right now confrontation is going on in the international community but China believes in the policy of non- confrontation and win-win cooperation that is why it has launched the BRI project.

“We reject power politics and pursue peaceful diplomacy as we believe in common progress of mankind,” she said.

The diplomat added that China is working for the better development of the region through BRI.

Speakers from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the importance of the BRI and role of media in this regards.