Lahore, August 2, 2025: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a two-day official visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties and enhancing economic cooperation between the neighboring countries.
President Pezeshkian, who is on his first official visit to Pakistan since assuming office, was warmly received in Lahore by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior ministers and top officials.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran prior to his departure, President Pezeshkian emphasized the central objective of his visit: to strengthen commercial and economic relations with Pakistan.
“The objective of this trip is to boost commercial and economic ties,” he stated, adding that border security and regional peace would also feature prominently in discussions.
Highlighting the potential for cross-border cooperation, Pezeshkian said,
“We believe that cross-border markets and connectivity can open new avenues for mutual cooperation.”
He expressed hope that bilateral trade volume, currently around $3 billion, could be elevated to $10 billion. The Iranian leader also reiterated Iran’s interest in actively participating in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), describing it as a gateway for Iran to connect with European markets via the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative.
“The OBOR project offers Iran an opportunity to connect with Europe,” he noted, adding, “Attempts to undermine Islamic unity between Pakistan and Iran will not succeed.”
During his stay, President Pezeshkian will hold official talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and meet President Asif Ali Zardari. Prime Minister Sharif had extended a formal invitation to the Iranian leader during his visit to Tehran on May 26.
According to Mehdi Sanai, Political Adviser to the Iranian President, the visit also includes engagements with “cultural and business elites.”
“The relations between the two countries encompass political, economic, religious, and cultural dimensions,” Sanai stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) dated July 30.
He added that strengthening provincial and border cooperation, along with increasing trade volumes, are key goals of the visit.
President Pezeshkian is the second Iranian head of state to visit Pakistan in two years. The trip was originally scheduled for late July but was rescheduled to early August. His predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, visited Pakistan in April 2024 — just a month before his tragic death in a helicopter crash.
