Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a state visit that comes days after a breakthrough round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar.
The visit marks Pezeshkian’s first foreign trip since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran in February and is widely viewed as a sign of appreciation for Pakistan’s role in helping bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed Pezeshkian upon his arrival at a military airbase near Islamabad.
The Iranian leader is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes cabinet ministers and senior officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived separately earlier in the day to participate in the talks.
During the one-day visit, Pezeshkian is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Sharif, followed by delegation-level meetings focused on expanding cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, discussions will cover trade, energy, border security, regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, as both countries seek to deepen economic and strategic ties.
The visit follows the first round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in the Swiss resort town of Bürgenstock, where both sides agreed to a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a broader diplomatic settlement.
As part of the initial understanding, the United States agreed to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian funds and temporarily ease sanctions, allowing Iran to sell oil and petrochemical products until August 21 while negotiations continue.
Officials in Islamabad view Pezeshkian’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss the next phase of diplomacy following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding on June 18. The agreement was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and President Pezeshkian, with Prime Minister Sharif serving as mediator.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the visit will also allow both sides to exchange views on regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at maintaining stability in the Middle East.
The trip marks Pezeshkian’s second visit to Pakistan as president and underscores Islamabad’s increasingly prominent role in regional diplomacy following its involvement in facilitating recent U.S.-Iran talks.
