Pezeshkian and Sharif discuss Iran-Pakistan strategic partnership in Antalya

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of COP31 in Antalya. The two leaders stressed the importance of expanding trade and coordinating positions to promote security and stability in the region.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, November 11, on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), hosted by Türkiye in Antalya.

Iran's presidency said in a statement that the two sides reviewed the course of political and economic relations between the two countries and stressed the need to strengthen regional cooperation, expand trade and economic exchanges, and intensify coordination in support of stability, security and shared interests. Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that the meeting also addressed the latest regional and international developments and climate change.

بزشكيان وشهباز شريف خلال محادثاتهما على هامش كوب31 في أنطاليا

Islamabad calls for dialogue and restraint

Pakistan's Daily Times reported that Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Senator Sherry Rehman, along with senior officials from both countries, attended the meeting. Sharif expressed deep concern over the continued conflict in the region, stressing that dialogue, restraint and de-escalation were essential steps, and called for continued diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace.

The Pakistani prime minister stressed the importance of implementing the understandings reached under the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” signed in June 2026. Pezeshkian praised Pakistan's continued diplomatic support and Islamabad's efforts to promote regional peace, recalling the historical, cultural and religious ties between the two neighboring countries.

الرئيس الإيراني مسعود بزشكيان خلال لقائه شهباز شريف في أنطاليا

Pakistani mediation and a series of meetings

The meeting came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between Iran and the United States, which began with US-Israeli military strikes on Iran on February 28, according to Turkish broadcaster A News. Pakistan played a key mediating role between Tehran and Washington, hosting talks in April that paved the way for subsequent diplomatic negotiations.

In Antalya, Pezeshkian held several other bilateral meetings, including, according to Iran's presidency, with the Iraqi president, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. COP31 will continue in Antalya until November 20, while the leaders' summit will be held on November 11 and 12, with the participation of 102 heads of state and government.

Photos: Iranian presidency. Sources: Iranian presidency, Mehr News Agency, Daily Times, A News.

Pezeshkian and Sharif discuss Iran-Pakistan strategic partnership in Antalya