Iranian FM arrives in Pakistan amid strained ties, to hold 'in-depth' talks with Pakistani counterpart Jilani

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday arrived in Islamabad at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani. The visit comes amid strained relations between the two countries following recent retaliatory strikes. Upon his arrival at the Nur Khan airbase, Amir-Abdollahian was received by Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia Rahim Hayat Qureshi.

Foreign Minister of Iran @Amirabdolahian has arrived in Islamabad at the invitation of Foreign Minister @JalilJilani. He was received at the Nur Khan airbase by Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) @RahimHayat.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Abdollahian… pic.twitter.com/97dNxXwmxE

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) January 28, 2024

Taking to X, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said, “Foreign Minister of Iran @Amirabdolahian has arrived in Islamabad at the invitation of Foreign Minister @JalilJilani. He was received at the Nur Khan airbase by Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) @RahimHayat,” “During the visit, Foreign Minister Abdollahian will hold in-depth talks with Foreign Minister Jilani and call on Prime Minister @anwaar_kakar,” Baloch added. Tehran initiated missile strikes targeting militant bases in southwestern Pakistan on January 16. Two days later, on January 18, Pakistan responded with retaliatory strikes inside Iran. In a statement, the Pakistan Army said ’terrorist militant organizations,’ namely Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) were successfully struck in a intelligence-based operation code-named “Marg Bar Sarmachar”. As per Geo News, the tit-for-tat strikes were the highest-profile cross-border intrusions in recent years and have raised alarm over wider instability in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted on 7 October. Recently, Pakistan and Iran agreed to de-escalate the situation and work in close coordination on counter-terrorism, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official press release. The Pakistani minister held a telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abdollahian and stressed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of both countries. The ministry said in a statement, “Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani spoke with the Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, today. Underscoring the close brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran, the Foreign Minister expressed Pakistan’s desire to work with Iran based on spirit of mutual trust and cooperation. The Foreign Minister stressed that respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty must underpin this cooperation.” With inputs from agencies