Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian has arrived in Islamabad amid the ongoing tension between the two neighboring countries that had struck each other this month in unprecedented way.
“Foreign Minister of Iran Amir-Abdollahian has arrived in Islamabad at the invitation of Foreign Minister Jalil Jilani. He was received at the Nur Khan airbase by Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) Rahim Hayat,” said the Foreign Office Spokesperson in a news release.
“During the visit, Foreign Minister Abdollahian will hold in-depth talks with Foreign Minister Jilani and call on Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq kakar,” the statement added.
The visit of Iranian Foreign Minister came at the heels of the killing of nine Pakistanis in Iran by terrorists.
Last Friday, both the countries’ ambassador resumed their diplomatic duties in their respective stations—a move seen as a move towards normalization of the bilateral relations between the two countries following a tit-for-tat strike.
Iran conducted a surprise attack in Balochistan on January 16, ostensibly targeting a militant outfit. In response, Pakistan first withdrew its ambassador from Iran on January 17 and then conveyed the Iranian Envoy a message that not to return Pakistan.
The very next day, Pakistan retaliated and target militant organizations in Iran.
In an effort to de-escalate the situation, then both countries reached an agreement for their ambassadors to return to their respective posts by January 26, 2024.
In a joint statement issued earlier this week, the Foreign Office revealed that, at the invitation of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian is scheduled to visit Pakistan on January 29.
