President Asif Ali Zardari hosted Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian at the Presidency on Sunday, where they had a meeting during the latter’s two-day visit to Pakistan.

Pakistan and Iran share close ties and have signed multiple agreements across sectors such as energy and trade.

According to a statement from the Presidency, both sides “reaffirmed their commitment to further broaden bilateral cooperation in diverse fields” and “emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral ties in wide-ranging and mutually beneficial areas”.

President Zardari was quoted as saying that Pakistan and Iran enjoy brotherly relations rooted in shared religion, culture and mutual respect.

“The two leaders exchanged views on major regional and international developments and stressed the need for coordinated diplomatic efforts to prevent the escalation of conflicts and to promote peace, security, and stability in the region,” the statement added.

The president appreciated Iran’s positions on regional issues and acknowledged the Islamic republic’s consistent support for regional cooperation.

He expressed gratitude for Iran’s solidarity during critical moments, such as the war with India and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to working closely with Tehran for a peaceful and prosperous future.

President Zardari also thanked Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for his consistent support for the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

“President Zardari strongly condemned the unprovoked Israeli aggression against Iran and lauded the bravery and unity of the Iranian nation during the recent 12‑day war,” the statement added. “He expressed hope that President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit would further solidify the brotherly relations between the two countries.

“President Pezeshkian thanked the leadership and people of Pakistan for their support during the 12‑day war and appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in advocating de‑escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy for the peaceful resolution of disputes,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the Pakistani and Iranian leadership were eager to raise bilateral trade volume between the two countries to $10 billion at the earliest, according to a joint statement.

The announcement was made as the two countries signed 12 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with PM Shehbaz and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressing a joint press briefing.

“Both countries signed a number of documents to transform them into agreements and to realise the potential of $10bn trade target, adding that the respective delegations from the two sides would further hold detailed meetings to move forward in this regard,” according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

During the bilateral meeting, which took place before the joint press briefing, both sides discussed the broad aspects of their bilateral ties, brotherly relations, religious and cultural ties, and held comprehensive talks to further boost them.

Speaking during the joint press briefing, PM Sharif condemned how Israel, on June 13, attacked Iran’s nuclear sites. According to the Iranian government, 610 people were killed during the war, while rights........

© Dawn Business