Iran's president hails Pakistan ties, rules out missile talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that recent developments have demonstrated the strength of Tehran's relationship with Islamabad, describing the bilateral bond as an asset built on mutual respect and historical trust. Speaking at a joint news conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his visit to the Pakistani capital, Pezeshkian emphasized that the ties between the two nations "have always been based on mutual respect, goodwill, and historical trust," adding that recent events had once again validated the durability of this relationship.

Ballistic missiles 'off the table'

Pezeshkian firmly ruled out any possibility of including Iran's ballistic missile program in negotiations with Washington, insisting the issue was not part of the recent memorandum of understanding with the United States. "No negotiations have taken place regarding ballistic missiles and there will be no negotiations," he stated, stressing that the program "will never be" subject to diplomatic discussions with American officials.

First overseas trip since February conflict

The Iranian leader arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday accompanied by a high-level delegation of government ministers and senior officials, marking his first foreign visit since the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28. The conflict, which triggered retaliatory attacks targeting US assets across the Middle East, was halted on April 8 under a ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, according to previous reports. Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump electronically signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 aimed at reaching a lasting peace agreement between the two sides.