Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent state visit to Pakistan comes at a critical time and reflects a careful effort to strengthen relations with Islamabad amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. Pakistan and Iran signed several agreements during the visit to boost bilateral trade to $10 billion annually. The two countries have also agreed to combat terrorism in their border regions more effectively. We can easily, in a short time, increase the volume of trade from the current $3 billion to the projected goal of $10 billion,” Pezeshkian said during a joint media conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Pakistani leader echoed the sentiment, saying, “We also jointly hope that the $10 billion trade target is achieved at the earliest.” During his visit, the Iranian president also held meetings with the country’s top military leadership, including Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar Sidhu, and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik. The visit is important for several reasons; it went beyond bilateral talks amid geopolitical shifts. Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan is his first trip abroad after the June 2025 Iran-Israel conflict.
The war, initiated by an Israeli attack on Iran and later joined by the U.S. through strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, pushed Iran to find regional partners to counter international isolation. Pakistan was quick to condemn the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran as violations of Iran’s sovereignty. Additionally, Pakistan justified Iran’s retaliation against Israel by citing Tehran’s right to self-defense and offered support to it at international forums like the United Nations. For Pakistan, the Iran-Israel conflict heightened concerns about regional instability, which could potentially spill into its volatile Balochistan Province. Furthermore, the prospect of Israeli air dominance near Pakistan’s western border likely raised alarms in Islamabad about shifting security dynamics.
This is especially important given Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities and its rivalry with India. Pakistan aims to ensure stability along its 905-kilometer border with Iran. Moreover, Pakistan does not want to see the Iranian regime weakened in a way that could create a safe haven for extremist groups operating on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border regions. In this context, Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan after the war signaled Iran’s intention to strengthen its alliance with Islamabad to deter further aggression. The visit also serves as a reminder that Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic maneuvering regarding Iran goes beyond its relationship with Tehran.
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