Iran’s development requires cooperation with other countries, neighbors in particular, Rouhani told reporters in the southeastern city of Zahedan on Tuesday before leaving for Pakistan to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit.

"Relations with neighbors are very important for Iran,” he said, adding, “Most of ECO member states are Iran's neighbors and boosting cooperation among us is also very important for the region.”

The president further said during the ECO Summit, which will be held on Wednesday in Islamabad, he will discuss ways for developing the organization and bolstering economic ties, as well as establishing security and stability in the region.

The ECO was founded by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey back in 1985. It also groups Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The organization had its first summit held in Tehran in 1992. The Iranian capital went on to host two more plenums. ECO’s last summit was held in the Azeri capital of Baku in 2012.

The body works toward ensuring that its members witness steady economic progress while also working to facilitate better cooperation among them.