PM Shehbaz Engages with Global Leaders at Raisi Memorial in Iran, Focuses on Bilateral Relations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has returned to Pakistan following a day-long visit to Iran to offer condolences on the tragic demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

He was bid farewell by senior Iranian officials, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu, and other diplomatic personnel at Tehran’s international airport.

On May 19, Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian and several others, perished in a helicopter crash in Eastern Azerbaijan province of Iran.

During his visit, the Prime Minister attended a commemoration ceremony for the late Iranian President and his companions, expressing condolences to the Iranian leadership. He also engaged in a series of meetings with world leaders, discussing methods to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation.

Among these meetings, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon to discuss further fortifying their already robust bilateral relations.

Similarly, discussions with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov centered on bolstering cooperation between their nations. Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz extended best wishes to Azerbaijan for successfully hosting the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku later this year.

Furthermore, he conferred with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, deliberating on various mutual interests and reaffirming commitments to bolster cooperation across sectors.

In separate discussions, the Prime Minister extended an invitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for an official visit to Pakistan, with agreements for enhanced cooperation reached with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz met with Nabih Birri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former President of Iran and current member of the Expediency Discernment Council, during his visit.