On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore for a two-day official visit. The trip is aimed at bolstering relations and boosting trade between the two neighboring nations.
Upon his arrival, the Iranian president was greeted by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation, which includes senior ministers and other officials.
After landing in Lahore, President Pezeshkian visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal, where he received a guard of honor from the armed forces. He also offered prayers and wrote his thoughts in the visitor’s book.
Before his departure from Tehran, President Pezeshkian, on his first official visit to Pakistan as president, told reporters that the main purpose of his trip was to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation. He emphasized that the goal was to boost trade and economic ties and that discussions would also cover border security and regional peace.
He expressed hope that the bilateral trade volume could be increased to $10 billion and highlighted Iran’s interest in actively participating in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key part of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. He added that the “OBOR project offers Iran an opportunity to connect with Europe,” and that any “attempts to undermine the Islamic unity between Pakistan and Iran will fail.”
During his visit, Pezeshkian is scheduled to meet with President Asif Ali Zardari and hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Prime Minister Sharif had extended the invitation during his visit to Iran on May 26. The Iranian president’s political adviser, Mehdi Sanai, confirmed that the visit would also include meetings and discussions with “cultural and business elites.”
This is the second time an Iranian president has visited Pakistan in as many years. The last visit was by former President Ebrahim Raisi in April 2024, just a month before his death in a helicopter crash.
