Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, has said his country and Iran will co-ordinate their policies on Afghanistan.

He was speaking after talks in Tehran with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi.

"We reaffirmed our support for the establishment of a broad-based, representative and multi-ethnic government in accordance with the wishes of the Afghan people," French news agency AFP quoted him as saying.

His words were echoed by President Khatami who spoke of "the oppression and sufferings of the Muslim peoples of Afghanistan".

Relations between Pakistan and Iran have been strained, with the two supporting opposing sides in Afghanistan.

Pakistan backs the Taleban forces who govern most of Afghanistan, while Iran supports the ousted government of Burhanuddin Rabbani and Shi'ite factions of the opposition alliance.

Their rivalry has been seen as one of the main factors hindering peace efforts in Afghanistan.

Iran also voiced concerned over a spate of attacks on Shi'ite Muslims in Pakistan over the past year, as well as the killings of several Iranians.

General Musharraf promised to punish those found guilty of the killings.

New outlook?

The announcement has been greeted with cautious optimism by many who hope it marks a shift in policy on the part of Pakistan, and even the Taleban.

The BBC's Iranian affairs analyst, Sadeq Saba, says it is believed that the new administration in Islamabad has a more cohesive policy towards Afghanistan and it wants to find a peaceful solution.

General Musharraf has said he is a secular leader and analysts say he may want to distance himself from extremist elements within the Taleban.

After the coup in Pakistan, Tehran called for a return to democracy, while at the same time maintaining good relations with the new military rulers.

Last month, Pakistan expressed its appreciation when Iran opened its borders with Afghanistan.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that it is in danger of being swamped with refugees from Afghanistan, following UN-led sanctions on the country.

The two sides are also reported to have discussed the conflict in Kashmir between India and Pakistan, and drug trafficking across the Pakistan-Iranian border.