Pakistan, Iran pledge closer ties, enhanced cooperation on regional, global issues

• Secretary of Iran's SNSC Ali Larijani arrives in Islamabad.
• DPM Ishaq Dar meets Iranian official, says MoFA.
  
• "Pak-Iran relations to enter another strategic phase".

Pakistan and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties in diverse areas and enhancing cooperation on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.

The development came as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Dr Ali Larijani, who is visiting Pakistan on an official visit.

A day earlier, Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said that Dr Ali Larijani's visit was pivotal for the two nations' "time-tested" relations to enter another "strategic phase".

Ambassador Moghadam, in a post on X, emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral relations "in light of the rapidly evolving global landscape and the emerging dynamics within our regional ecosystem".

He said that the visit would focus on meaningfully advancing the objective to strategise bilateral ties between the two nations.

Prior to this, Dr Larijani confirmed his visit in an X post written in Urdu, the national language of Pakistan.

"The Iranian people will never forget that during the 12-day war imposed on Iran by the US and the Zionist regime, the Pakistani nation stood with the Iranian nation," he wrote in his post.

Terming Pakistan and Iran as two important countries in the region for sustainable security, he stated that his country always focused on fostering brotherly relations with regional countries.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu welcomed the upcoming visit, saying it was part of extensive interactions between the leaderships of the two countries.

"The visit will play a crucial role in further solidifying [Pakistan-Iran] historical and deep-rooted ties," he wrote in a post on X.

Pakistan extended unwavering support to Iran at all international platforms during the country's 12-day war with Israel in June.

The conflict began on June 13 after Israel launched a bombing campaign in Iran that killed top military commanders and scientists linked to its nuclear programme.

Tehran responded with ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities.

Weeks after hostilities ended on both sides, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif played a key role in the Iran-Israel ceasefire.

Later, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a telephonic conversation with PM Shehbaz, thanked the premier and appreciated Pakistan's consistent and principled stance in support of Tehran.