The Iranian president lands in Islamabad today

ISLAMABAD:

Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi arrives here on Monday (today) for a visit that will be closely watched by the outside world against the backdrop of Tehran’s ongoing tensions with Israel.

Despite the storm clouds rising in the region, the President of Iran has decided to travel to Pakistan, indicating the importance Tehran attaches to its ties with Islamabad.

The visit was planned before recent tensions between Iran and Israel and was intended as part of efforts to repair ties with Pakistan, which has been under pressure from January rocket attacks.

The FO confirmed the visit of the Iranian president on Sunday.

“President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi will pay an official visit to Pakistan from April 22 to 24, 2024. This will be the first visit of a Head of State to Pakistan after the general elections in February 2024.” Read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.

It said the Iranian president will be accompanied by his wife and a high-level delegation consisting of the foreign minister and other members of the cabinet, senior officials and a large business delegation.

President Raisi’s itinerary includes meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the National Assembly. He will also tour Lahore and Karachi, during which he will hold talks with provincial leaders during his visit.

The two sides will have a broad agenda to further strengthen ties between Pakistan and Iran and enhance cooperation in various areas, including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture and people-to-people contacts. They will also discuss regional and global developments and bilateral cooperation to combat the common threat of terrorism.

“Pakistan and Iran enjoy strong bilateral ties, anchored in history, culture and religion. This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen relations between Pakistan and Iran,” noted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

The US is believed to be dissatisfied with the Iranian president’s visit given the current efforts to isolate Tehran.

Nevertheless, Pakistan stood firm in the face of pressure and informed the US that the planned visit had been arranged well before the current tensions in the region.

Just days before the Iranian president, the US imposed sanctions on four companies, including three Chinese firms, for allegedly supporting Pakistan’s ballistic and long-range missile program, a move some observers interpreted as a signal to Islamabad, amid of the host country of the Iranian president. In recent weeks, Pakistan has shown interest in starting work on the long-delayed Iranian gas pipeline project. However, the US warned that Pakistan’s decision could lead to sanctions.

Pakistan has often tried to take a cautious path in maintaining ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

However, officials here believe the Saudis do not have many reservations this time as their own relationship with Iran has improved in recent months.

In March last year, China struck a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore their diplomatic ties. Since then, both countries have reopened their diplomatic missions in each other’s capitals.