Qalibaf Hails Pakistan as Strategic Bridge Linking Iran to East Asia

Addressing an open session of the Parliament on Sunday, Qalibaf presented a report on his recent three-day visit to Pakistan, highlighting key discussions and agreements reached during the trip.

He noted that Iran and Pakistan’s trade needs are complementary, their cultural ties are deeply rooted, and there exist significant opportunities for enhanced security and defense cooperation.

Qalibaf said the talks focused on implementing cooperation documents signed during the Iranian president’s recent visit, raising bilateral trade volume to 10 billion dollars, facilitating barter trade through infrastructure improvement, finalizing the free trade process, expanding border cooperation, developing joint marketplaces, strengthening border security, and planning trilateral cooperation among Iran, China, and Pakistan in joint projects.

He also expressed hope that the implementation of those initiatives by both governments would soon yield tangible results.

Concluding his report, Qalibaf extended special gratitude to the people of Pakistan for their warm and enthusiastic welcome to the Iranian delegation, particularly in Islamabad and Karachi. He said attending Friday prayers in Karachi was one of the most memorable moments of the visit, as worshippers greeted the Iranian representatives with passionate support for Iran and Palestine —an expression of the deep brotherhood between the two nations./tasnim