Iran Prez to visit Pak to boost bilateral ties

ISLAMABAD: Amidst the tensions in the Middle East, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will arrive here on Monday on a three-day visit to promote bilateral ties with Pakistan, months after the two neighbours carried out tit-for-tat airstrikes against alleged terrorist hideouts on rival lands.

Raisi’s visit from April 22 to 24 would be the “first visit by any Head of State to Pakistan after the general elections in February 2024,” it said.

Raisi’s visit to Islamabad comes days after Israel’s military action in Iran’s Isfahan province where there had been reports of explosions. This followed Iran’s drone and missile attacks against Israel last weekend. The tit-for-tat military actions after an alleged Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus had raised global concerns.

During the visit, President Raisi will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Sadiq. He will also visit Lahore and Karachi and meet with the provincial leadership.

“The two sides will have a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran ties and enhance cooperation in diverse fields including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people contacts,” the Foreign Office said.

They will also discuss regional and global developments and bilateral cooperation to combat the common threat of terrorism.

This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations, the statement said.