Iranian President Pezeshkian arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday on an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, receiving a ceremonial welcome that included Pakistan Air Force JF-17 jets fly-past and a 21-gun salute.

Prime Minister Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chairperson PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari were present at the arrival. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accompanied Pezeshkian on the visit.

Children dressed in traditional attire presented the Iranian president with flowers, while others waved Pakistani and Iranian flags and raised welcome slogans, which Pezeshkian acknowledged with a wave.

During his visit, the Iranian president will hold key meetings with President Zardari and PM Shehbaz. The discussions are expected to cover all aspects of bilateral relations, with cooperation across trade, energy, border security, and people-to-people and regional ties on the agenda.

The Foreign Office had confirmed on Monday that Pezeshkian would travel to Islamabad with a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and senior officials. It is his second visit to Pakistan as president, and comes just two days after the Islamabad MoU talks concluded in Switzerland. This is also Pezehskian’s first visit to any country ever since the US-Israel attack on Iran in late February.

Tehran holds firm on agreed terms as president lands in Islamabad

Ahead of his arrival Pezeshkian said the success of ongoing negotiations hinges on strict adherence to previously agreed commitments and their accurate implementation, warning that progress must be measured through actions, not rhetoric.

In a statement shared on X, Pezeshkian said the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to agreed obligations, adding that “their precise implementation” will determine whether meaningful progress is achieved. He stressed that diplomatic advancement would only be reflected through “practical adherence to accepted responsibilities,” cautioning that any deviation from agreed terms could undermine the negotiating process.

The Iranian president further warned that “statements outside the agreed text do not help advance the negotiations”, a pointed reminder, issued on the eve of his Islamabad visit, that Tehran intends to hold all parties to the letter of what was agreed in Switzerland.

Red Zone security lockdown disrupts courts, government services

Judicial work at major courts in the federal capital was suspended after authorities imposed security restrictions across the Red Zone ahead of Pezeshkian’s visit. The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) halted proceedings at its principal seat, citing road closures and access difficulties that would prevent lawyers, litigants and staff from reaching the premises. It directed employees to work from home while maintaining administrative continuity through its branch registries.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) also suspended hearings for the day, cancelling its cause list and instructing judges and staff to work remotely due to restricted access within the high-security zone. District courts, however, continued functioning normally. The disruption extended beyond the judiciary, with the Cabinet Division ordering ministries located in the Red Zone to adopt work-from-home arrangements. Despite the restrictions, key federal institutions including the Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign Office, Finance Division, FBR and parliamentary secretariats remained operational.

Authorities also shut several Margalla Hills hiking trails and suspended public services, including most citizen facilitation centres and driving test operations, as part of the security plan.

Islamabad Police advised citizens of limited access across multiple services, while traffic and entry points in sensitive areas remained tightly controlled throughout the day.