Pakistani PM, army chief to visit Iran Tue. to mend rift

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif, accompanied by Nawaz Sharif's brother and Chief Minister of the Punjab province Shahbaz Sharif and Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, will travel to Iran on Tuesday, Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement on Sunday, (MNA) reported.

The Pakistani high-level delegation will arrive in Iran and hold talks with President Hassan Rouhani following their Monday visit to Saudi Arabia and the meeting with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Although reports indicate the Tuesday visit will focus on attempts to reduce tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia that was sparked after the Saudi regime executed prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr, the post-sanction situation in the Islamic Republic will provide a valuable opportunity for the officials of the two neighboring countries to exchange views on developing bilateral relations.

Pakistani prime minister will be the head of the first foreign government to visit Iran after the lift of sanctions and the implementation of the nuclear agreement dubbed ‘JCPOA’ on Saturday.