Pezeshkian's visit signals for Iran-Pakistan ties

Defence affairs analysis

Just weeks after the Middle East teetered on the edge of another war, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has arrived in Pakistan- not as a warning, but as a gesture

Touching down in Lahore on Saturday, Pezeshkian begins his first official foreign visit since taking office, signaling Tehran’s intent to strengthen regional ties following its deadly exchange with Israel in June.

The two-day visit comes at a delicate moment for both countries: Iran is recalibrating after the conflict, and Pakistan is walking a diplomatic tightrope between old loyalties and emerging realities. With meetings lined up with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Pakistan’s military and business elite, Pezeshkian’s visit is being closely watched, not just for what is said, but for what it signals about the future of regional diplomacy.

Ali Sarwar Naqvi, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US and founding executive director of the Centre for International Studies, told Nukta that “the Iranian president’s visit to Pakistan is of very high importance as this is the first visit of Mr. Masoud Pezeshkian, and a follow-up to his predecessor Ibrahim Raisi’s visit. As close neighbors, it is a continuation of high-level interaction between the two countries.

He added that the timing - just weeks after the Iran-Israel conflict - is significant: “It demonstrates Iranian interest in consultations with Pakistan for coordination of policies for regional peace and stability. In the June hostilities, Pakistan had condemned unprovoked Israeli attacks and supported Iran’s right to develop its nuclear program in accordance with the NPT (Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty) and IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Statute.”

Naqvi said the visit would also focus on aligning regional strategies regarding Afghanistan and combatting cross-border terrorism, “areas essential for the common security of both countries.”