Pezeshkian Due in Pakistan Saturday to Cement Alliance Post ’Israeli’ Aggression

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will embark on his first official visit to Pakistan on August 2-3, aiming to deepen bilateral relations and regional cooperation.

Invited by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Pezeshkian will lead a high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and senior cabinet officials.

The visit will commence in Lahore with a tribute to Pakistan’s revered national poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, before moving to Islamabad for key meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif.

“The visit is expected to further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran,” said Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry in a Friday statement.

The program also includes sessions with Pakistan’s cultural and economic elites. According to Mehdi Sanaei, the Iranian president’s political advisor, these meetings are intended to enhance cooperation in trade, economy, religion, and cultural affairs.

A key focus of the discussions will be increasing bilateral trade—currently valued at over $3 billion—and expanding cross-border cooperation.

Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, called the visit “a highly significant step” toward building stronger bilateral ties.

Speaking to IRNA, he said, “Tehran and Islamabad are key actors in maintaining peace and stability across the region.”

The visit represents an important milestone in the ongoing momentum of diplomatic relations, he said, adding that Iran and Pakistan have played vital roles in fostering regional cooperation and launching joint initiatives across various sectors.

He also highlighted the foundation laid during the April 2024 visit by the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi, when both countries signed a series of memorandums of understanding in fields such as trade, science and technology, health, agriculture, culture, and judiciary cooperation.

In a clear reflection of the deepening alliance, Islamabad strongly supported Tehran during the recent 12-day "Israeli"-US aggression on Iran in June, reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity amid external pressures.