'Ongoing diplomatic engagements' focus of Iranian president's Pakistan visit

ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on his visit to Pakistan on Tuesday said that the two neighbors should  further “bilateral relations” and discuss ongoing “diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” appreciating Islamabad's excellent role in the negotiation process.

The Iranian president also recognized Pakistan’s important role for peace, development and prosperity.

The Iranian president made the remarks during a one-day official visit to Pakistan, undertaken at PM Sharif's invitation. The two leaders held a meeting at the Prime Minister House, which was followed by delegation-level talks.

During the meeting, Pezeshkian said he held 'constructive' meetings and discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Addressing a joint news conference after bilateral and delegation-level meetings, PM Sharif expressed the expectation that the MoU would take the form of an agreement and new avenues of development would open between the two countries. 

PM Sharif reiterated his commitment to close ties with Iran through Persian poetry and said that a friend is the one who holds hands in difficult times.

“I am very happy about the visit of President Masoud Pezeshkian and his delegation to Pakistan. President Masoud Pezeshkian is a great leader of a great country,” PM Sharif added.

Pezeshkian made an official one-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday to further “bilateral relations” and discuss ongoing “diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad MoU,” according to a statement from the Foreign Office.

The Iranian president was received at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, along with other top officials from both sides. 

The visit marks Pezeshkian’s first international trip since the US-Israel war on Iran that started on Feb. 28, and his second visit to Pakistan.

Iran’s ballistic missile program not included in Islamabad MoU: PM Sharif 

PM Sharif clarified that Iran’s ballistic missile program is not included in the Islamabad MoU and was not discussed during the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 

During delegation-level talks with the Iranian president, the premier said that “there should be no double standards regarding missile capabilities and urged support for lasting peace and regional development.”

PM Sharif said that Iran’s ballistic missile program was neither included in the talks’ agenda nor discussed at any stage.

He said that it cannot be that other countries have ballistic missiles and Iran does not, adding that there should be no ambiguity on this point.

'Pakistan and Iran are one soul'

Iranian President began his speech with a poem by Pakistani thinker Allama Muhammad Iqbal and said that the close relations between Pakistan and Iran were unique in nature.

“Pakistan and Iran are one soul, two moulds. Both countries are partners in a common future and destination,” he said.

He said that Pakistan was not just Iran’s neighbor, it was its brother and dear friend, and that relations between Islamabad and Tehran were based on close trust and mutual respect.

The Iranian President said that the events that took place in the recent past gave a new dimension to the close relations between the two countries.

“Pakistan played an excellent role in the negotiation process,” he said, recognizing Pakistan’s important role for peace, development and prosperity.

He said that the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding was possible due to trust in Pakistan.

He thanked the Pakistani government and people for the wonderful welcome and generous hospitality and said that he was grateful to his brother Shehbaz Sharif for inviting him to visit Pakistan.

He said that during the visit, constructive meetings were held with the President, Prime Minister and Field Marshal in which bilateral relations and the situation in the region were discussed.

Pezeshkian was escorted to the President’s House, where he was received by President Asif Ali Zardari, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto, and the first lady, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. The two presidents held a bilateral meeting and reviewed relations between Islamabad and Tehran.

At his reception at the PM House, the Iranian president was presented with a guard of honor and a 21-gun salute, while the air force also presented a fly-past, according to a post on X by the Prime Minister's Office,

PM Sharif also met with the Iranian delegation. The meeting, attended by top Pakistani officials, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Munir, took place at the PM House. He later planted a sapling in the gardens.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was at the talks held between the US and Iran in Switzerland over the weekend, is also accompanying the president.

Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also called on President Pezeshkian, according to the military's media wing.

The field marshal reiterated Pakistan's unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the region.

The Iranian president appreciated Pakistan's constructive and responsible role in promoting dialogue, de-escalation, and regional stability. He acknowledged Pakistan's consistent efforts to encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes and foster understanding among regional stakeholders at a time of heightened geopolitical challenges.

Last week, PM Sharif told the National Assembly that President Pezeshkian had called him following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, in which the Iranian president thanked the Pakistani leadership and public for their support and for the successful mediation efforts in the current conflict. 

JF-17 welcome Iranian president

Pakistan Air Force fighter jets give a grand aerial welcome to Iranian President on his arrival in Pakistan, according to the official sources.

They stated that a formation of 6 JF-17 Thunder and F-16 aircraft welcomed the Iranian President in the air and was saluted by a special squad in Pakistani airspace

JF-17 and F-16 aircraft are a symbol of the modern capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force, the sources said, adding that the visit of the Iranian president to Pakistan is a beautiful reflection of the brotherly relations between the two countries.