ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian is set to arrive in Pakistan today, Saturday, for a two-day official visit focused on enhancing bilateral ties, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
Pakistan and Iran share strong relations and have inked multiple agreements in trade, energy, and security over the past few years. Nevertheless, the two nations have also clashed over the instability along their common porous border, yet they have consistently acted swiftly to alleviate tensions whenever they arise.
In May, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi traveled to Pakistan amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India following an incident in the contentious Kashmir area. His trip was succeeded by another from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Iran, where he met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to the Pakistani foreign office, this is Pezeshkian‘s initial official trip to Pakistan as the Iranian president. He will be joined by a top-level delegation, featuring FM Araghchi, senior ministers, and other prominent officials.
“While in Pakistan, President Pezeshkian will confer with the President of Pakistan, H.E. Asif Ali Zardari, and conduct delegation-level discussions with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E. Shehbaz Sharif,” the foreign office stated on Friday.
In January of last year, tensions escalated between Pakistan and Iran as both nations carried out uncommon reciprocal airstrikes targeting what they claimed were militant bases in each other’s territory.
In April, the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi visited Pakistan for three days to ease tensions and bolster bilateral relations. The two parties had also agreed upon memorandums of understanding regarding trade, science technology, agriculture, health, culture, and legal issues