Iran President Ebrahim Raisi: Monday marked the start of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi’s three-day tour to Pakistan amidst heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi began his three-day visit to neighboring Pakistan on Monday, months after the two countries conducted cross-border airstrikes on enemy territory. Raisi’s travel to Pakistan comes as tensions in the Middle East remain high following Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel this month.
The Iranian President will be joined by his spouse and a high-level entourage that includes the foreign minister and other cabinet members, senior officials, and a significant business delegation, in line with a statement the foreign office released on Sunday.
According to the official statement, Raisi’s visit spanning from April 22 to 24 marks the “initial visit by any Head of State to Pakistan after the general elections held in February 2024.”
During her visit, President Raisi will meet with President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Sadiq, and Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani. He is scheduled to meet with provincial officials in Lahore and Karachi.
Importance of raisi’s trip to Pakistan
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan comes as tensions between his country and Israel are rising. Israel launched airstrikes on Iran’s Isfahan area, where there had been indications of explosions. This comes after Iran launched unprecedented drone and missile attacks against Israel last weekend. The tit-for-tat military action following an alleged Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic office in Damascus sparked global concern.
Raisi’s trip to Islamabad is geared towards bolstering the relationship between the two nations amidst the turbulence in the Middle East. Raisi and Shareef will engage in talks concerning regional and global events, as well as bilateral collaboration to counter the shared menace of terrorism. -Iran President Ebrahim Raisi
Iran’s official statement states that this visit is intended to enhance ties between the two countries, at a time when Iran is facing US sanctions for launching a drone attack on Israel.
Months after the amicable relations between the two neighboring countries faced a setback, Raisi’s visit to Pakistan follows a period when Tehran surprised Islamabad by conducting airstrikes on purported militant hideouts in the troubled Balochistan province in January. In response, Pakistan promptly utilized lethal drones and rockets to execute “precision military strikes” on what it labeled as “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province, resulting in the loss of nine lives.
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Despite the prompt resolution of their relations, the Iranian president’s visit to Pakistan is anticipated to further alleviate the recent discord between the two nations.