Looking to mend relations, Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi begins a 3 day visit to Pakistan following an exchange of strikes along the border in January. Raisi is set to hold talks with top Pakistani leaders as the two nations also aim to boost trade and resolve border issues.

Islamabad

Iran's President, Ebrahim Raisi, embarked on a three-day diplomatic visit to Pakistan, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties following a series of strikes along their shared border earlier in the year. This visit marks a concerted effort by both nations to engage in dialogue and cooperation to mend relations and address mutual concerns. Raisi is scheduled to meet with top Pakistani officials to discuss a variety of issues, signaling a move towards closer collaboration between the two countries.

During his stay, President Raisi was accorded an official welcome in Islamabad, including a guard of honor. At a news conference, he underscored the importance of joint efforts to tackle regional security challenges. Both nations, according to Raisi, share several common goals including combating terrorism, organized crime, narcotics, and various forms of insecurity that simultaneously threaten both countries. The Iranian president highlighted the extensive dialogue between Iran and Pakistan, covering topics from religion and culture to diplomacy and the economy, emphasizing the longstanding relationship between the two, which predates the establishment of Pakistan by centuries.

Furthermore, in a significant development, Iran and Pakistan signed multiple agreements focused on energy, border management, and security. President Raisi also announced an ambitious plan to increase bilateral trade from three to ten billion dollars annually. This comes in the context of a previously stalled gas pipeline project between the two nations, hindered by U.S. sanctions on Tehran and threats of similar sanctions against Islamabad. Additionally, the leaders found common ground on the issue of Palestine, expressing support for an independent Palestinian state and condemning the actions in Gaza.



Iran president visits Pakistan, aims to mend ties after strikes

The Iranian president arrived in Islamabad to a guard of honor. Speaking at a news conference, Ibrahim Raisi stressed the need for cooperation to address regional security challenges. Our countries share a number of common positions. For example, both countries are determined to fight against terrorism, against organized crime, against narcotics, and against different forms of insecurity which endanger our two countries at the same time. We have had a very candid dialogue between two neighbors and discussed our relations from religion to culture, diplomacy and economy, including security. Let me reiterate, we don't just have 76 years of relations with Iran dating back to the birth of Pakistan. These relations are centuries old. The two signed a number of agreements in energy, border management and security, and Raisi announced plans to increase trade with Pakistan from three to ten billion dollars a year. Pakistan already had a deal with Iran for a gas pipeline, but the project has been stalled since 2017 because of US sanctions on Tehran. Washington threatened Islamabad with similar measures if it went ahead. The two leaders have found common ground on Palestine. Both support an independent Palestinian state and condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Kamal Haider Al Jazeera, Islamabad.

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