Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir are on a visit to Iran, where they have held talks with Iranian leaders in Tehran. This joint visit by Pakistan’s political and military heads comes in the aftermath of actions against India’s Operation Sindoor, as part of efforts to rally support against India. However, Pakistan has faced disappointment regarding Iran’s stance. During the visit, Shahbaz Sharif brought up recent tensions with India and the Kashmir issue, but Iran responded with noticeable indifference.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei. Although the Kashmir issue was mentioned during the meeting, Khamenei’s remarks show that he pays close attention to the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s comments. It was mentioned in Khamenei’s statement that Iran is hoping the dispute between India and Pakistan will come to an end.
As reported by the Tehran Times article, when Shahbaz Sharif met him, Khamenei said that ‘despite Islamic countries being offered the chance to align with Zionism, Pakistan remained independent.’ Here, he urged the international community to do what it could to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Palestine.
Khamenei wrote on X that, “We’re pleased at the cessation of conflicts between Pakistan and India, and we hope the disputes between the two countries will be resolved.”
Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that President Pezeshkian voiced Iran’s backing for a lasting ceasefire between India and Pakistan, urging both nations to engage in dialogue to settle their differences and foster peace. This statement may have influenced Shahbaz Sharif’s remarks during a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, where he expressed Pakistan’s willingness to engage in talks with India to address longstanding issues such as Kashmir, water-sharing, and trade.
As quoted by Navbharat Times, Pakistan PM mentioned that, “We are ready to negotiate peace with our neighbour on water issues. We are also ready to negotiate to promote trade and combat terrorism. We wanted peace, we want peace, and we will work for peace in the region through dialogue at the table, and through resolving our pending issues. If they accept my offer of peace, we will show that we want peace.”
