Raisi, who heads a high-ranking political and economic delegation, was welcomed by Pakistan’s Housing Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada and several other senior political and military officials. Iran’s Ambassador to Islamabad Reza Amiri-Moghaddam was present as well.
Also, a group of Iranian cultural officials and diplomats were present in the welcoming ceremony.
President Raisi will be officially welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next few hours.
Raisi is the first high-ranking official who visited Pakistan since the formation of a new government there earlier this year. He will also meet with President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Iranian president is also set to visit the cities of Lahore and Karachi, which are respectively the cultural and economic hub of Pakistan.
During his two-day stay, Iranian and Pakistani officials are set to sign several cooperation documents in trade and health as well as economic, security, judicial and agricultural fields.
Pakistan was the first country that recognized Iran’s Islamic Republic following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Iran was also the first country to recognize the new government in Pakistan following the country’s independence from Britain in 1947.
Both cases are regarded as a firm background for friendly political ties between the two countries.
Tehran and Islamabad enjoy trade ties as well, which topped $2.5 billion in value last year. The two sides have expressed their determination to double the figure.
Iran’s energy is regarded as the most important field to promote bilateral cooperation between the two sides. The neighbors have already begun the construction of a pipeline that would deliver Iranian natural gas to Pakistan.
Iran has also announced its readiness to export crude oil and petrochemicals to Pakistan and boost its ongoing electricity exports, while the Pakistani side enjoys high capacities for exports of textiles, fruits, grain, meat, and dairy produce, among others, to Iran.
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