Iranian president meets Pakistan’s top leaders for talks after US deal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan for a state visit, marking his first foreign trip since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February.

Pezeshkian was received near Islamabad by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and senior officials, he is scheduled to hold talks with Sharif and meet other Pakistani leaders.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral ties, including cooperation in trade, energy, border security, regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.

The visit comes after the first round of US-Iran talks in Switzerland, facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar, aimed at ending the conflict involving Iran. It is also seen as a gesture of appreciation for Pakistan’s role in mediating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed in June, which laid the groundwork for ongoing diplomatic negotiations.