Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a three-day visit, aimed at discussing a variety of issues with Pakistani officials, according to the country’s authorities.
The visit seeks to strengthen Islamabad and Tehran’s relations which experienced brief tensions in January following reciprocal strikes against militants each accused of targeting their security forces.
Raisi was greeted at the airport by Housing Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada among other officials.
During his visit, Raisi is scheduled to meet with Pakistani President Asil Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation, he also plans to visit Karachi—Pakistan’s largest city—and Lahore.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan stated that the discussions will focus on “further strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation in diverse fields including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people contacts.”
The talks will also cover regional and global developments, the ministry added.
The visit follows a recent Iranian airstrike on Israel, a retaliation for an Israeli attack in Syria that killed two Iranian generals at a consular facility. Pakistan, which does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, supports Palestinian statehood.
