Pezeshkian, who arrived here on a day-long visit, held talks with President Asif Ali Zardari shortly after receiving an official welcome, attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Separately, Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir called on President Pezeshkian and the two exchanged views on regional developments and peace initiatives, according to a statement by the army.
During the meeting with Zardari, Pezeshkian lauded Pakistan’s ”constructive contribution” to Iran-US dialogue and reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and regional peace.
Zardari welcomed Pezeshkian on his first state visit to Pakistan after the recent conflict with the US and said that his visit reflects the longstanding brotherly relations between the two countries.
He congratulated Pezeshkian on the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and hoped that the ongoing technical-level negotiations would culminate in permanent peace in the region.
The US and Iran signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to restore peace in West Asia, advance negotiations on regional security and other contentious issues.
His visit comes days after Iran held talks with the US in Switzerland, where the two sides agreed on a roadmap to seal a final deal in 60 days.
The high-level talks at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland, held on Sunday and Monday, took place under the framework of the Islamabad MoU signed by the US and Iran to advance negotiations on regional security and other contentious issues.
In his meeting with Field Marshal Munir, President Pezeshkian “appreciated Pakistan’s constructive and responsible role in promoting dialogue, de-escalation, and regional stability”.
“He acknowledged Pakistan’s consistent efforts to encourage peaceful resolution of disputes and foster understanding among regional stakeholders at a time of heightened geopolitical challenges,” the army said in a statement.
Field Marshal Munir reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the region.
“Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Iran relations and maintaining close consultations on issues of mutual interest, with the shared objective of advancing peace, prosperity and stability across the region,” the army said.
Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan is aimed at discussing the full implementation of all clauses of an agreement signed between Iran and the US, as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest.
The Iranian leader earlier landed at Nur Khan airbase, where he was received by President Zardari, PM Sharif and other high officials, according to state-run PTV. Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder jets escorted the plane of President Pezeshkian when it entered the country’s s airspace.
Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived here from Muscat. He had travelled to Muscat along with Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to hold high-level talks with the Omani leadership to discuss the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of his departure from Tehran, the Iranian president said his visit ”aims to secure full implementation of the memorandum under international law”. He added that the agreement would help strengthen stability and security in West Asia, Iran’s state-run Press TV reported.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian cautioned that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.” ”Progress on this path will be measured by practical adherence to accepted responsibilities. Statements outside the agreed text do not help advance the negotiations,” he added.
During the visit, the two sides will review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explore new avenues to deepen cooperation across diverse sectors, including trade, energy, border security, people-to-people exchanges, and regional connectivity, the Foreign Office said Monday.
The visit will also provide an important opportunity to discuss ongoing diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest, it added.
Security was on high alert in Islamabad due to the Iranian leader’s visit. The government closed bus terminals in the capital to restrict the movement of people coming to the city. The Red Zone has been closed.
Even the Islamabad High Court and the Federal Constitutional Court postponed the hearing of cases as both courts are in the high-security Red Zone, where visitors are not allowed today.
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