Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Pakistan to promote cooperation

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Pakistan to promote cooperation

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.

The Iranian President will be accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation comprising the Foreign Minister and other members of the cabinet, senior officials as well as a large business delegation, according to a statement by Foreign Office on Sunday.

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 unprecedented 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.

Pakistan and Iran enjoy strong bilateral ties anchored in history, culture and religion. This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations, the statement said.

Raisi is visiting Pakistan months after the cordial ties between the two neighbours suffered a setback when Tehran shocked Islamabad by carrying out airstrikes against alleged militant hideouts in restive Balochistan province in January. Pakistan swiftly responded by using killer drones and rockets to carry out "precision military strikes" against what it called "terrorist hideouts" in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province, killing 9 people.

However, the two sides acted fast to restrain tempers through diplomatic channels. Raisi's visit is expected to further cement their ties.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)