ISLAMABAD, June 24(News Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding regional peace and strengthening bilateral cooperation, pledging to stand united against any efforts aimed at undermining the recent diplomatic breakthrough achieved through the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Addressing a joint press stakeout following delegation-level talks in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described his discussions with President Pezeshkian as highly productive and held in a warm and brotherly atmosphere. He said Pakistan and Iran were fully determined to resist attempts by “spoilers” seeking to create uncertainty and derail ongoing peace efforts. “There is no dearth of spoilers around the globe who are unhappy with this breakthrough. President Pezeshkian and I are resolved to remain an iron wall against such efforts and to work together for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” the Prime Minister said.
President Pezeshkian is visiting Pakistan on a state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials. The Prime Minister welcomed the successful conclusion of the Islamabad MoU between the United States and Iran, calling it a historic achievement that helped avert a wider conflict that could have destabilized the entire region and beyond. He commended President Pezeshkian’s leadership and reiterated Pakistan’s role as an honest and sincere facilitator of peace. Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between the two neighboring countries, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan and Iran had always stood by one another during difficult times. He emphasized that the latest developments reflected the enduring strength of their friendship and partnership. Expressing solidarity with Iran, the Prime Minister extended condolences over the loss of lives during recent challenges and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Iranian people.
“Your happiness is our happiness. Your sorrow is our sorrow. Iran’s success is our success, and Iran’s loss is our loss,” he said, adding that the people of Pakistan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their Iranian brothers and sisters. Prime Minister Shehbaz also announced that he would visit Tehran next week to pay respects to the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and to reaffirm Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran. The Prime Minister thanked the Iranian leadership for its confidence in Pakistan’s facilitation efforts and praised both Iranian and American delegations for their constructive participation in technical talks held in Switzerland. He also acknowledged the support of regional leaders, including Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Mohammed bin Salman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for encouraging diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace.
In his remarks, President Pezeshkian described Pakistan as more than a neighboring country, calling it a brotherly nation linked to Iran through deep historical, cultural and religious bonds. Quoting the poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, whom he referred to as “Iqbal Lahori,” the Iranian President emphasized the importance of unity among Muslim nations.
“The two nations do not merely live side by side; they share a common destiny in their aspirations, concerns and hopes,” President Pezeshkian said. The Iranian President expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s sincere role in promoting peace and thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Field Marshal Asim Munir, parliamentarians and the people of Pakistan for their support during recent challenges faced by Iran. He said his meetings with Pakistan’s leadership had been constructive and that both sides had agreed to use the current positive momentum to usher in a new era of cooperation, development and regional stability. Both leaders underscored the importance of expanding trade, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, expressing confidence that strong political commitment on both sides would elevate Pakistan-Iran relations to new heights.
During a question-and-answer session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Pezeshkian categorically rejected reports suggesting that Iran’s ballistic missile programme had been discussed as part of the Islamabad MoU. President Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s missile capability was solely intended for national defense and was never part of the negotiations. Prime Minister Shehbaz similarly clarified that ballistic missiles were neither discussed nor included in the agreement. “Without any fear of contradiction, ballistic missiles were never a subject of discussion between Iran and the United States. They were not mentioned in the MoU and were not on the table at all,” the Prime Minister stated. He cautioned against misinformation designed to undermine the peace process and reaffirmed that Pakistan and Iran would continue working closely to ensure the success of diplomatic efforts and the promotion of regional stability. The two leaders concluded their engagements with a warm embrace, symbolizing the close and enduring bonds between Pakistan and Iran and their shared commitment to peace, cooperation and regional prosperity.