Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi plans to visit Islamabad on Monday to meet with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. This visit aims to strengthen ties between the two nations following deadly cross-border attacks earlier this year.
Raisi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the foreign minister and a large business group.
The tit-for-tat missile strikes in January in the Balochistan border region heightened tensions between Iran and Pakistan.
Tehran targeted an anti-Iran group in Pakistan, prompting Pakistan to respond with a raid on militant targets in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province.
Both countries have accused each other of harboring militants in the past. To improve relations, Tehran’s foreign minister visited Islamabad, leading to commitments to enhance dialogue and establish liaison officers.
Sistan-Balochistan province has faced unrest from cross-border drug smugglers, Baloch rebels, and Muslim extremists for years.
During his visit, Raisi will also meet with provincial leaders in Lahore and Karachi to discuss strengthening cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people contacts.
Pakistan hopes to resolve its power crisis through joint projects with Iran, including the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. Although the project faced delays due to international sanctions on Iran, Pakistan recently approved the construction of a section to avoid penalties.
