ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday received Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the PM House with the visiting dignitary being presented with a guard of honour.
PM Shehbaz and President Pezeshkian will now hold a bilateral meeting and will lead their respective sides in the scheduled delegation-level talks.
The two sides are expected to sign memorandum of understandings (MoUs) for cooperation in various areas which will be followed by a joint presser by PM Shehbaz and President Pezeshkian.
The Iranian president — who was welcomed in Lahore by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif — touched down in Pakistan on his maiden visit on Saturday and is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior ministers and other high-ranking officials.
A day earlier, the dignitary, who is visiting the country on PM Shehbaz’s invitation, paid a visit to the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal where he received a guard of honour from smartly turned-out personnel of the armed forces.
President Pezeshkian, while speaking to the media before departing from Iran, expressed hope that bilateral trade volume could be raised to $10 billion.
He also highlighted Iran’s interest in active participation in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative.
Pezeshkian is the second Iranian president to visit Pakistan within two years. The visit was originally scheduled for the final week of July.
In April 2024, Ebrahim Raisi paid a three-day official visit to Pakistan — just a month before his death in a helicopter crash.
FM Dar reiterates commitment to brotherly ties
Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as per a statement issued by the Foreign Office, called on President Pezeshkian on Sunday and reaffirmed Pakistan’s deep commitment to its historic and brotherly ties with Iran, emphasising their strong foundations in shared history, common cultural heritage, faith, and mutual respect.
Meanwhile, the visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s support and reaffirmed Iran’s resolve to improving bilateral collaboration in various areas of shared interest.
He also looked forward to meaningful discussions with Pakistani leaders to further reinforce the political and economic ties between the two friendly nations.
Talking to media later, DPM and FM Dar reiterated that Pakistan stood with its brotherly country Iran and would continue to support it in trade, economic and other fields.
He also welcomed the Iranian president’s statement which resonated with the vision of the prime minister to take the trade volume between the two countries to $10 billion.
“It is very heart-warming and a need of the hour to expand the economic activities by building economic coordination together,” he emphasised.
