Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is in Pakistan on a three-day trip to discuss regional and bilateral relations, amid recent tensions between Iran and Israel. During his visit, Raisi will meet key Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with the aim of improving relations between the two countries after exchanges of attacks in January.
He is also expected to hold talks with General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, who has great influence in the country’s politics and economy. The focus of the trip is on improving economic, border and energy ties between Iran and Pakistan.
What is this trip about?
The purpose of Raisi’s trip is to ensure Islamabad’s support for Iran, especially amid a possible conflict with Israel. Although Iran and Pakistan have had tensions in the past, both countries have decided to reduce tensions and cooperate in the fight against terrorism, especially in the border region. The relationship between both countries is vital due to their commercial, cultural and religious ties, although there are challenges such as the stagnation in joint projects, such as the gas pipeline to export Iranian natural gas to Pakistan, due to the sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran.
At the same time, the Argentine government has made diplomatic representations to the governments of Pakistan and Sri Lanka to proceed with the arrest of Ahmad Vahidi, the Iranian Minister of the Interior, in accordance with the mechanisms provided by Interpol, with a view to his subsequent extradition to the Argentina to face the charges against him due to his participation in the attacks on the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) in 1994, which left 85 fatalities.
At the same time, the Interpol National Central Office of the Argentine Federal Police has requested its counterpart in Islamabad to proceed with the preventive detention of the Iranian minister, for purposes of extradition to the South American country, the statement reported.
In response to tensions between Iran and Israel, Pakistan has called for de-escalation and urged the international community to avoid new hostilities in the region. Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and has stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza. Although there has been speculation about possible changes in Pakistan’s Palestinian policy due to pressure from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, no such changes have been announced so far.
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