This afternoon, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, met with Mr. Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and his accompanying delegation. He highlighted the special position of Pakistan in the Islamic world and stressed the necessity of joint and effective efforts by Iran and Pakistan to stop the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Leader of the Revolution expressed satisfaction over the end of the war between Pakistan and India and voiced hope that the disputes between the two countries would be resolved. He also highlighted Pakistan's very strong and commendable stance on the Palestinian issue over the past years. He said, "While in recent years there have always been constant temptations for Islamic countries to establish ties with the Zionist regime, Pakistan has never succumbed to them."

Pointing to the vast potential of the Islamic Ummah for greater power in today's world, Ayatollah Khamenei stated, "In a situation where warmongers around the world have numerous motives to sow discord and wage war, the only thing that can ensure the security of the Islamic Ummah is unity among Islamic countries and the enhancement of relations between them."

He declared the issue of Palestine as the foremost issue of the Islamic world and, pointing to the dire conditions in Gaza, noted, "The situation in Gaza has deteriorated to such an extent that ordinary people in Europe and America are protesting against their own governments through demonstrations. Yet, regrettably, some Islamic governments still stand with the Zionist regime."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed out that through mutual cooperation, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan can play an influential role in the Islamic world and steer the Palestinian issue away from its current misguided path. He stated, "We are optimistic about the future of the Islamic world, and many recent developments confirm this optimism."

Ayatollah Khamenei further described the relations between Iran and Pakistan as being consistently warm and fraternal. Citing Pakistan's commendable positions during the Imposed War as an example of this brotherly bond, he assessed the current cooperation between the two countries as being below the expected level in various areas. He added, "The two countries can assist each other in many areas, and we hope that this visit will contribute to a comprehensive expansion of relations, particularly in the economic, political, and cultural fields."

The Leader further emphasised the need for joint efforts between Iran and Pakistan to revitalise the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO).

During this meeting, which President Pezeshkian also attended, Mr. Shehbaz Sharif expressed great pleasure at meeting with the Leader of the Revolution. He appreciated the positive role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in helping to calm the recent crisis between Pakistan and India. While discussing developments related to recent conflicts, he also addressed the issue of Gaza.  He said, "Unfortunately, the international community has failed to take meaningful steps to put an end to the catastrophe in Gaza."

The Prime Minister of Pakistan also expressed hope that his constructive and productive talks in Tehran would pave the way for further expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries.