Iranian President Raisi arrives in Lahore today on his second day of visit.

President of Iran Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Lahore today.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, members of the Provincial Cabinet and the distinguished guests at the airport.

During his visit, Raisi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other officials to discuss strengthening economic and security cooperation between the two countries. The leaders signed eight cooperation agreements and discussed a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline project that has been on hold since 2014.

Raisi also met with Pakistan's army chief, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and the recently elected first female chief minister of Lahore, Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The visit aimed to smooth over a diplomatic rift between the two countries after they carried out strikes in each other's territory in January, targeting militants accused of attacking security forces.

Why this matters: Raisi's visit comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel in the Middle East. Iran is seeking to bolster ties with regional countries like Pakistan as it faces a potential conflict with Israel. The visit is seen as an effort to repair bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan, which have a history of rocky ties despite commercial agreements.

The leaders condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and vowed to cooperate in fighting terrorism. "The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that peace and stability in the region depends on the role of all regional countries, including Pakistan," Raisi stated. He also called for setting up more border markets between Iran and Pakistan to boost bilateral trade, which he described as "unacceptably" meager.

In addition to the political meetings, Raisi is scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Karachi during his visit to Pakistan. The university's syndicate unanimously approved awarding the degree to the Iranian president in recognition of his leadership and contributions.

Key Takeaways

• Iranian President Raisi visits Pakistan for 3-day official trip, meets PM Sharif.
• Leaders sign 8 cooperation agreements, discuss gas pipeline and economic ties.
• Visit aims to repair diplomatic rift after border strikes, bolster regional ties.
• Raisi condemns Israel's actions in Gaza, calls for more Iran-Pakistan trade.
• Raisi to receive honorary doctorate from University of Karachi during visit.