Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met Ali Lari­ja­­ni, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Secu­ri­­ty Council, on Tuesday, with the two sides reaffirming their commitment to “enhancing cooperation on regional and international issues of mutual interest”, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

The two also agreed to “deepening bilateral ties in diverse areas” between Islamabad and Tehran, the FO posted on social media platform X.

Lari­ja­­ni reached Pakistan on Monday and is expected to meet Pakistan’s political and military leadership during the visit.

His trip follows Speaker of Iranian Parliament Bagher Ghalibaf’s visit to Islamabad last month, marking the second high-level Iranian delegation to Pakistan in weeks.

In a post on X before landing in Pakistan, Larijani said: “Iran and Pakistan are two important and influential countries in ensuring lasting security in the region, and we always pay close attention to the brotherly relations between the countries of the region.”

He also said that “Iranians will never forget” the support extended to them by the people of Pakistan during a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam termed the visit “unprecedented” in a post on X.

“This historic milestone marks a pivotal moment at which the already solidified and time-tested relations between our two brotherly nations are set to enter another strategic phase.

“In light of the rapidly evolving global landscape and the emerging dynamics within our regional ecosystem, the need to further strategise and elevate our bilateral relations has become more imperative than ever — an objective that will be meaningfully advanced through this significant visit,” he added.

In August, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had also visited Pakistan. Pezeshkian and his delegation had met the top civilian and military leaders of the country, and among the matters discussed during the visit was Israel’s onslaught in Gaza.

Pezeshkian had expressed his desire to raise bilateral trade to $10bn, while the need to jointly combat terrorism, especially along the border in Balochistan, was also discussed.

The Iranians had further sought to join Pakistan and China in expanding regional trade as part of the Silk Road initiative. At least 12 memoranda of understanding and deals were signed covering various sectors.

In October, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had visited Iran. He had also met Pezeshkian during the visit.