Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian to visit Pakistan on Tuesday: FO

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to the Foreign Office. The visit is expected to focus on reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exploring avenues to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, border security, people-to-people exchanges, and regional connectivity.

Pezeshkian is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and other senior officials. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are also expected to call on the visiting dignitary, the Foreign Office said.

Coverage Comparison

The Foreign Office announcement, as reported by Dawn, noted that this will be Pezeshkian's second visit to Pakistan in his capacity as president. The visit follows key direct talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland, dubbed the "Lake Lucerne Summit," which initiated negotiations under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18. Under the 14-point accord, Washington and Tehran agreed on a framework to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiate on key issues within 60 days of signing. Those talks, held in the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock, were mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir involved.

Dawn's subsequent coverage of the visit described President Zardari's meeting with Pezeshkian at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional peace and security, connectivity, economic cooperation, and other issues of mutual interest. The presidency said Zardari welcomed his Iranian counterpart on his first state visit to Pakistan since the US-Iran war.

Key Claims

• The Foreign Office confirmed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is undertaking an official visit to Pakistan, his second since assuming the presidency.
• The visit is at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with Pezeshkian accompanied by a high-level delegation.
• Pezeshkian will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
• The two sides will review bilateral relations and explore deeper cooperation in trade, energy, border security, people-to-people exchanges, and regional connectivity, as stated by the Foreign Office.
• The visit is an opportunity to discuss diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, according to the Foreign Office.
• President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan's "principled support for Iran's peace, stability, national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity," as reported by Dawn.
• Zardari congratulated Pezeshkian on the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran and expressed hope that ongoing technical-level negotiations would lead to permanent peace in the region.
• The Lake Lucerne Summit established a mechanism for further technical talks and a contact channel to avoid incidents and miscommunication in the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Dawn.