The diplomatic rapprochement comes after escalation in the Middle East when Israel launched a surprise and unprovoked attack on Iran.
ISLAMABAD:
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani arrived here on Monday as part of a broader initiative by Tehran and Islamabad to consolidate political, economic and security cooperation amid regional geopolitical shifts.
“Today I travel to Pakistan, our friendly and brother country in the region,” Larijani said in a post on X shortly before his arrival.
In a rare and notable recognition, Larijani praised Pakistan’s support for Iran during the US-Israeli aggression earlier this year. “Iranians do not forget that during the 12-day war of the Zionist regime and the United States against Iran, the Pakistani nation supported the Iranian nation,” he wrote.
The latest diplomatic rapprochement comes months after a dramatic escalation in the Middle East when Israel launched a surprise and unprovoked attack on Iran on June 13, killing several top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.
Days later, the United States joined the conflict and attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities, an episode that Tehran described as a serious violation of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran responded on June 24 with coordinated retaliatory operations against Israel and the United States, claiming it had forced an end to the “illegal attack.”
Throughout the crisis, Pakistan publicly called for restraint but staunchly opposed attacks on Iranian territory, an approach that gained recognition in Tehran, especially when regional alignments were being tested.
Larijani, considered one of Iran’s most experienced political figures and a key representative of the Supreme Leader in the SNSC, said Iran views Pakistan and Iran as “two important and influential countries” vital to regional stability.
He stressed that the current geopolitical environment requires “tangible, coordinated and comprehensive action among Muslim nations,” particularly in the security, defense, political and economic spheres.
In October, Larijani met Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, where both sides underlined their role in shaping regional dynamics.
In November, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also visited Islamabad for talks focusing on parliamentary, security and economic cooperation.
In August, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian traveled to Pakistan and both sides signed 12 memorandums of understanding across multiple sectors, including tourism, agriculture, legal cooperation, industry, science and technology, transit, cultural heritage and trade.
Iran and Pakistan, whose bilateral trade already exceeds $3 billion, have committed to increasing the volume to $10 billion through targeted planning and the removal of trade barriers.
In a separate statement, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran, Muddasir Tipu, called Larijani’s visit “a crucial step in reinforcing historic and deep-rooted ties.”
He outlined several promising developments currently being discussed, including rapid progress in finalizing the Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the operationalization of a barter trade mechanism, which is expected soon.
Tipu noted that the current wave of exchanges reflects a shared intention to unlock the full trade and connectivity potential between the two neighbors.
Observers say Larijani’s visit is part of Iran’s diplomatic recalibration following the June conflict and a sign of Pakistan’s growing relevance in Tehran’s strategic vision, especially in the areas of border security, counterterrorism, energy cooperation and regional trade.
As both countries navigate complex regional realignments, including developments in Afghanistan, tensions in the Gulf and shifting great power equations, Tehran and Islamabad appear set to expand collaboration on multiple fronts.
