ISLAMABAD:
Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday arrived on a two-day state visit to hold bilateral talks with the Pakistani leadership.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar received the Iranian President and his delegation at the Nur Khan airbase.
Dr Pezeshkian is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, senior ministers and other high-ranking officials.
Dr Pezeshkian will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and also hold delegation-level talks with Pakistani Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers.
A 21-gun salute was accorded in honour of President Dr Pezeshkian on his arrival, and two children dressed in traditional attire, presented bouquets to him.
The Foreign Office in a statement said, “This marks Dr Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Pakistan as President of Iran.”
It may be recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last visited Iran on May 26, 2025.
The visit is expected to further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran.
Upon his arrival in Lahore earlier, Dr Pezeshkian was given a warm welcome by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif. His visit was marked by high-level meeting and a visit to the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal.
Defence ministers
The Honourable Minister for Defence of the Islamic Republic of Iran Brig General Aziz Nasir-Zadeh held a bilateral meeting with the Honourable Minister of Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif in Islamabad.
During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security, counter-terrorism efforts, and avenues to enhance defence cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral ties and promote peace and stability in the region.
The Defence Minister of Pakistan expressed appreciation for Iran’s continued engagement and emphasized the importance of defence diplomacy in addressing shared security challenges.
The Iranian Defence Minister thanked the Government of Pakistan for the warm welcome and reiterated Iran’s desire to build stronger defence ties based on mutual respect, shared values, and trust.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both leaders expressing optimism about the future of Pakistan-Iran defence relations and pledging to continue working together for the prosperity and security of the region.
