After concluding his trip to Lahore, where he visited Allama Iqbal’s shrine and emphasized a “special connection” with the Pakistani people, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Karachi on Tuesday. The Iranian president was met at Jinnah International Airport by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, according to a statement from the director of information for the Sindh government, Saleem Khan. Later, accompanied by his delegation and provincial authorities, he traveled to Mazar-i-Quaid and offered prayers. The Chief Minister’s residence in Sindh was the location of his next visit.
Raisi came to Pakistan a day ago and is currently on a three-day tour. On the second day of his official visit, he was met by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and his delegation at the Allama Iqbal International Airport earlier today. This is the first visit of this kind by a head of state since the general elections on February 8.
Raisi had stated that Tehran was prepared to share its industrial, scientific, and technological capabilities with Pakistan during his visit to Karachi. Additionally, he reaffirmed his commitment to removing trade obstacles between Pakistan and Iran. The Sindh government had shut down all main roads ahead of his visit, halted cell service in numerous city districts, and stationed large numbers of police and Rangers officers around the city. The traffic police had announced the closure of several major roads in Karachi, such as Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-i-Quaideen, and M.A. Jinnah Road, ahead of schedule, causing difficulty and hardship to commuters and drivers.
At the same time that Raisi was visiting Pakistan, the US State Department issued a warning, stating that Washington “forbids” commercial connections with Tehran and that anyone thinking about doing business with Iran should be aware of the possible implications of US sanctions. Concerning efforts to increase trade connections between Pakistan and Iran, the department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, responded, “Let me say broadly we advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions.” In the end, though, the US source said, “the Pakistani government can speak to their foreign policy endeavors.”
