Iran's President Pezeshkian welcomed with guard of honour at PM House
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has been welcomed at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad with a guard of honour, as he pays a brief visit to Pakistan. Pezeshkian is on an official visit to Pakistan at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation. Earlier in the day, Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan in separate planes. The Iranian president flew to the federal capital from Iran, while Araghchi’s last engagement was in Oman. President Pezeshkian, upon his arrival at the Nur Khan airbase, was received by President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Iran’s envoy to Islamabad Reza Amiri Moghaddam. FM Araghchi was also present to welcome his president, according to televised footage. Pezeshkian was accorded a 21-gun salute, while fighter jets conducted a flypast in his honour, state-run APP reported. The president waved in response to the children’s welcoming slogans, it added. FM Araghchi meets president, PM FM Araghchi, who was part of the US-Iran talks in Switzerland over the weekend, is also part of Pezeshkian’s delegation. Iran’s state media IRNA reported that the top Iranian diplomat held talks with President Zardari and PM Shehbaz “only hours” before Pezeshkian landed in Pakistan. Upon his arrival at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan airbase earlier in the day, Araghchi was welcomed by Dar, Naqvi and Bilawal. “The leadership and people of Pakistan extend a warm welcome to Foreign Minister Araghchi and the Iranian delegation to Islamabad,” the Foreign Office said (FO). Both sides to review ‘full spectrum’ of bilateral relations During the visit, Pezeshkian will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and hold talks with PM Shehbaz, according to the FO. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and Deputy PM Dar will call on the visiting dignitary. “This will be Dr Pezeshkian’s second visit to Pakistan in his capacity a