ISLAMABAD: Iran’s President Masoud 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.
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.
.jpg)