Raisi in Pakistan to Improve Security, Trade Ties

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on a key official visit aimed at promoting security and trade ties.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Raisi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-leg visit which will also take him to Sri Lanka. He was welcomed by Pakistani Minister of Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and a number of officials upon his arrival.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will officially welcome the Iranian president and the two sides will then hold a private meeting.

Before leaving Tehran for Islamabad on Monday morning, Raisi said Iran considers Pakistan's security as its own, saying that promotion of security along the border with Pakistan will benefit both nations.

The Iranian president said improvement of economic and trade ties with Pakistan and Sri Lanka is among the objectives of his trip.

“In line with its neighborliness policy, the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to take new steps to develop and promote relations with neighboring countries,” he added.

The Iranian president is scheduled to set off for Pakistan and Sri Lanka on a key official visit.

He noted that Iran has deep-rooted, civilizational and historical relations with Pakistan as one of the most important countries in South Asia.

“Tehran and Islamabad have always attached importance to political and economic ties as well as regional and extra-regional cooperation,” Raisi said.

The Iranian President further emphasized that Tehran and Islamabad share the same stance on human rights, defending the oppressed Palestinian people, and fighting terrorism.

He expressed Iran’s willingness to boost relations with Pakistan and noted that various topics, particularly economic and trade, energy and border issues, are on the agenda of his talks with Pakistani authorities.

He emphasized that the two neighboring countries aim to increase the value of their trade and economic exchanges to $10 billion given their great capacities.

The Iranian president also said that the expansion of economic and trade ties with Sri Lanka is among the goals of his trip to Colombo.

Pointing to the considerable growth in cooperation between the two countries in the technical and engineering sectors, Raisi expressed hope that his visit will be a turning point in the promotion of ties between Iran and Sri Lanka.