The Foreign Office on Friday confirmed that Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian will pay a state visit to Pakistan over the weekend.

Iran’s IRNA news agency had reported on Wednesday that the Iranian president’s political adviser, Mehdi Sanai, had said Pezeshkian was due to visit Pakistan on Saturday for a two-day trip with discussions with “cultural and commercial elites” on the agenda.

In a statement today, the FO confirmed the development, saying the Iranian president “will pay a state visit to Pakistan on August 2-3, 2025” at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation.

Dr Pezeshkian will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, senior ministers and other high-ranking officials.

The FO said Dr Pezeshkian will meet President Zardari and also hold delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz.

“This marks Dr Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Pakistan as president of Iran. It may be recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last visited Iran on May 26, 2025. The visit is expected to further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran,” the FO said.

Pakistan has recently expressed solidarity and a desire for cooperation with Iran, which experts say is vital to securing shared interests in a shifting geopolitical environment.

Pezeshkian will be the second Iranian president to visit Pakistan in as many years. The visit was initially planned for the last week of July.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar previously said that President Pezeshkian would “soon” make an official visit to Islamabad, according to IRNA.

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of his visit to New York, FM Dar had said Pezeshkian was scheduled to visit Pakistan and expressed hope the trip would take place in early August. “Pakistan supports diplomacy and a wise approach in the region and welcomes all efforts toward de-escalation and dialogue with Iran,” he was quoted as saying.

PM Shehbaz visited Iran on May 26 as part of his regional tour to friendly countries aimed at expre­ssing gratitude for their support during the conflict with India. He met Iranian leaders, including Pezeshkian, to strengthen ties and deepen regional cooperation.

He had previously visited Iran in May 2024 to attend the memorial ceremony of former president Raisi and met Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.