Prior to his departure for Pakistan, Pezeshkian said on Saturday that Tehran and Islamabad have enjoyed good, friendly, and deep-rooted relations since the establishment of Pakistan.
The two countries cooperate in economic, scientific, cultural, and border areas, and a deep bond exists between the people of both sides, he said.
Pezeshkian highlighted that during the recent aggression by the Israeli regime and the US against Iran’s soil, Pakistan was among the countries that strongly condemned this aggression and declared its readiness to provide any necessary support for Iran’s territorial integrity, as well as for the government and people of Iran.
The President identified boosting border trade with Pakistan via land, air, and sea as priorities for this trip.
Through Pakistan, Iran can connect to the Silk Road linking China and Pakistan, and the route can then extend through Iran to Europe, he said.
Terming the trade relations between Iran and Pakistan as good, the President reiterated the plan to increase their mutual trade exchanges to $10 billion annually.
Emphasizing that security and border issues are of great importance to both Iran and Pakistan, he said that regional security must be achieved through mutual cooperation.
Pezeshkian also noted that the enemy plans to create division among Muslims, but Iran will thwart the enemies’ plots, adding that Tehran aims to maintain unity and solidarity between Iran and Pakistan.
Pezeshkian left Tehran for Pakistan on Saturday morning for a two-day trip at the official invitation of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Iranian president is scheduled to visit Lahore, where he will pay his respects at the tomb of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, a prominent poet and scholar of the Islamic world, before continuing to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
On the second day of his trip, after an official welcome ceremony, Pezeshkian will hold meetings with the prime minister, president, and the heads of the National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan.
