TEHRAN – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Wednesday, leading a high-level delegation “as part of efforts to deepen political and economic ties between the two neighboring countries.”
His visit was made possible at the invitation of Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
During his visit to Islamabad, Mr. Khalibaf will meet with the speaker and members of both Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate.
He will also meet with senior political officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional development.
Mr. Khalibaf will also visit major cultural and economic centers of Lahore and Karachi, where he will meet with cultural and religious figures, as well as Pakistani businessmen and traders.
Members of the Iranian Parliament, including representatives of the Iran-Pakistan Friendship Parliamentary Group, will also accompany the Speaker.
Pakistan, Iran’s most populous neighbor, has bilateral trade with Iran exceeding $3 billion. The two countries aim to increase this trade value to $10 billion through targeted planning and removal of existing obstacles.
In late October, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that relations between Tehran and Islamabad could go beyond current cooperation and be elevated to the level of a permanent strategic partnership.
Ali Larijani met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran and emphasized the geopolitical importance of both countries in the regional equation.
Also, in a telephone conversation in mid-October, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar discussed important regional and international developments.
Top diplomats emphasized the importance of engaging in active diplomacy, exchanging information, and strengthening cooperation in order to promote peace and stability in the region.