TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for stronger and more consistent engagement between Pakistan and Iran, as Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Islamabad’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation across several sectors.
Naqvi met Pezeshkian in Tehran on Monday during his official visit to Iran. The meeting focused on bilateral relations, regional developments and ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
Iranian state media reported that Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of maintaining regular contacts between Islamabad and Tehran.
During the meeting, President Pezeshkian said Pakistan and Iran could further strengthen cooperation by making greater use of their domestic and regional capabilities.
He stressed that continued engagement between the two countries could help expand cooperation across different fields and enable both sides to make better use of their available resources and regional potential.
Pezeshkian also linked stronger interaction among Muslim countries to wider regional developments, saying that pressure from the United States had contributed to increased convergence and interaction among Muslim states.
Speaking during the meeting, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan was determined to further expand cooperation with Iran.
According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, Naqvi identified trade, the economy, tourism and politics among the areas where Islamabad seeks closer cooperation with Tehran. He also said Pakistan intends to expand collaboration with Iran in culture and science.
The remarks underline Pakistan’s stated interest in developing relations with Iran beyond political engagement and into broader economic, cultural and scientific cooperation.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of continuing regional tensions and renewed diplomatic activity involving Iran and other regional and international actors.
Pakistan has maintained diplomatic engagement with Tehran while also emphasizing regional peace and stability. Earlier during his Tehran visit, Naqvi met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, with discussions covering bilateral relations, regional developments and progress in cooperation between the two countries’ interior ministries.
Focus on Trade, Economy and People-to-People Links
The latest discussions highlight several areas with potential for closer Pakistan-Iran engagement, particularly trade, tourism, culture and economic cooperation.
Both sides have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening their longstanding relationship and utilizing their geographic proximity and regional capabilities. Pakistan and Iran share a border and have maintained diplomatic relations while pursuing cooperation on security, trade and regional issues. Pakistan’s presidency also described recent high-level discussions with Pezeshkian as covering regional peace, connectivity and economic cooperation.
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The Tehran meeting therefore adds to a series of recent high-level contacts aimed at maintaining dialogue and expanding cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
