PM Congratulates Pezeshkian on Becoming Iran’s President

News Desk 

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, the president-elect of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who recently won a runoff election following the tragic death of his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier called Dr Pezeshkian to extend his congratulations on the election victory.

The polls, held on June 6, saw Pezeshkian competing against Saeed Jalili in a closely contested race. In his initial remarks after being declared the winner, Pezeshkian expressed his intention to “extend the hand of friendship to everyone.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the strong ties between Pakistan and Iran, highlighting their shared history, faith, culture, and traditions. He extended his good wishes to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and congratulated him and the people of Iran on the successful democratic transition.

The prime minister expressed his hopes for a successful tenure for the Iranian president-elect and looked forward to working closely with him to strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations and enhance bilateral cooperation in various areas, including trade, energy, and regional security.

He mentioned that the decisions made during the historic visit of the late president Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan in April 2024 had established a strong foundation for a mutually beneficial partnership.

Dr Pezeshkian thanked the prime minister for his congratulations and expressed his desire to further deepen the ties between the two nations. The leaders also discussed regional issues and agreed to maintain close coordination and consultation.

Dr. Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old heart surgeon, has represented Tabriz in parliament since 2008 and was endorsed by former reformist president Mohammad Khatami and ex-president Hasan Rouhani.

During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he served as a combatant and physician, deploying medical teams to the front lines. He was Iran’s health minister from 2001 to 2005. In 1994, he tragically lost his wife and one of his children in a car accident and has since raised his surviving children alone, never remarrying.