Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday, April 22, 2024, shortly after landing in the capital for a three-day visit, officials reported.
The meeting aimed to patch up relations between Islamabad and Tehran, which had become tense briefly in January after the two sides launched tit-for-tat attacks against militants they said were targeting their security forces.
Upon his arrival at the PM House, President Raisi was given a guard of honor. He arrived in the federal capital earlier in the morning for a three-day official visit, accompanied by his spouse and a delegation comprising ministers and businessmen. Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed the visiting dignitary at the venue of the formal welcome ceremony.
During the visit, President Raisi will meet the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Chairman of the Senate, and the Speaker of the National Assembly. He will also visit Lahore and Karachi and meet with provincial leadership.
Pakistan and Iran have signed eight agreements and MoUs for cooperation in various fields, including security, judicial assistance in civil matters, veterinary and animal health, establishment of a special economic zone, film exchanges and cooperation, legal cooperation, and cooperation between the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare of Iran.
At the meeting in Islamabad, President Raisi and Prime Minister Shehbaz agreed on joint efforts to eradicate terrorism and discussed increasing trade and communication links between the two countries.
The visit marks the first visit by any head of state to Pakistan after the general elections in February 2024. As President Raisi landed at Nur Khan Airbase, a red carpet was rolled out to accord him a warm welcome. Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, received the guest.