Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a one-day visit, receiving a grand welcome. His visit follows Islamabad-mediated discussions between Tehran and Washington held in Switzerland. Pezeshkian traveled on a special aircraft operated by Mirage Airlines, designated Minab 168, symbolically honoring the 168 children martyred in a US-Israel attack on their school in Minab city, Iran.
The president was greeted with a red carpet and a guard of honour by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and other senior officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also accompanied him. This marks Pezeshkian’s first overseas trip since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Notably, this visit comes a day after Pakistan and Qatar announced that the initial round of high-level US-Iran negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland, resulted in a 60-day roadmap toward a final agreement. Habibollah Abbasi, director of public relations at the Iranian president’s office, highlighted that one key purpose of Pezeshkian’s visit was to thank Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.
The Foreign Office confirmed the visit, noting that Pezeshkian would be accompanied by a high-level delegation including ministers and senior officials. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet President Zardari and hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The discussions will cover the entire range of bilateral relations and seek to expand cooperation in trade, energy, border security, people-to-people contacts, and regional connectivity.
Additionally, the visit offers a platform to review ongoing diplomatic efforts following the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as well as regional and international matters of mutual concern. The Foreign Office emphasized that the visit reflects the shared commitment of Pakistan and Iran to strengthen their historic and cultural ties, underscoring their common goals for peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.
This will be Dr. Pezeshkian’s second visit to Pakistan as Iran’s president. Meanwhile, mediators from Pakistan and Qatar described the first round of US-Iran talks as making “encouraging progress” toward a final peace deal, despite ongoing tensions over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
The joint statement from Pakistan and Qatar outlined that the US and Iran agreed on a roadmap to finalize an agreement within 60 days. Technical discussions are set to continue throughout the week at the Qatari-owned Swiss resort of Buergenstock. The parties also agreed on mechanisms to end hostilities in Lebanon between US ally Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, and established a communication channel to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
US Vice President JD Vance praised the initial talks as laying a solid foundation for ending the Middle East conflict. He affirmed that Pakistan would maintain its role as an honest and sincere mediator promoting dialogue and diplomacy for a peaceful resolution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the leadership of both the United States and Iran for their dedication to constructive engagement. He expressed gratitude to friendly nations supporting this historic diplomatic process, specifically acknowledging Qatar’s critical role in facilitating the negotiations and thanking the Swiss government for hosting the talks.
