Islamabad:
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Pakistan “very soon”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday, as the Muslim neighbors try to repair ties after January's tit-for-tat rocket attacks on what they said were militant targets.
The attacks had fueled concerns about broader regional instability after the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7.
News of the visit comes as the United States and its allies plan new sanctions on Iran over its unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday, as they try to deter Israel from a major escalation.
Sharif's office issued a statement on Raisi's visit after a cabinet meeting, after Pakistan previously indicated it could take place.
This week, broadcaster Geo News said the Iranian president would arrive in Pakistan on April 22, citing sources.
However, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.
The neighboring countries have had a history of rocky relations, but the rocket attacks were the most serious incidents in years.
Quick efforts to lower the temperature then led to assurances that they respected each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while pledging to expand security cooperation.
Pakistan has previously called on all parties in the Middle East to “exercise utmost restraint and move towards de-escalation”.
In another sign of strengthening ties with the Middle East, Sharif's office added that Saudi Arabia would invest billions of dollars following a visit to Pakistan this week by its foreign minister.
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