By Adnan Hameed TWA ______ The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), in collaboration with the Asian Institute of Eco-Civilization Research and Development (AIERD), held a seminar focusing on the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s vision of regional cooperation. The seminar featured Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam, as the keynote speaker, alongside Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mohammad Mudassir Tipu. Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Ramay moderated the discussion. In his welcome address, IRS President Ambassador Jauhar Saleem praised President Raisi's 'Neighbourhood Policy.' He highlighted IRS's pioneering role in organizing a seminar on this policy and emphasized Raisi’s successful diplomacy in reviving ties with the UAE and Egypt and rapprochement with Saudi Arabia in 2023. Ambassador Saleem also noted the historically cordial and cooperative relations between Iran and Pakistan, further strengthened by President Raisi’s visit to Pakistan. He stressed the importance of a multilateral cooperative framework to promote intra-regional and inter-regional connectivity and cooperation.

Ambassador Reza Amiri thanked IRS for organizing the seminar and reiterated that regional cooperation was a key agenda during President Raisi’s tenure. He highlighted the 28 foreign visits undertaken by President Raisi, with his visit to Pakistan being the most extensive. During this visit, President Raisi met with top Pakistani leadership, and several MoUs were signed in areas such as free trade, economic cooperation, and tourism. Ambassador Amiri praised President Raisi’s commitment to regional cooperation through platforms like the SCO, Caspian Sea Summit, and BRICS, and assured that the new Iranian government would continue to promote cooperation with regional states and Pakistan. Ambassador Mohammad Mudassir Tipu of Pakistan to Iran highlighted President Raisi's efforts to strengthen cultural and economic ties with Pakistan. He noted the mutual respect shared for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal. Ambassador Tipu also mentioned President Raisi’s aim to increase bilateral trade with Pakistan to $10 billion annually and his interest in enhancing security cooperation with Afghanistan. Major General Samrez Salik, former DG ISSRA at the National Defence University, Islamabad, paid tribute to President Raisi, particularly noting his contributions to consolidating Pak-Iran relations through trade. In conclusion, Mr. Zahid Latif Khan, Chairman AIERD, outlined the internal and external policies of Iran under President Raisi. He suggested that think tanks in Iran and Pakistan should collaborate to elevate President Raisi’s legacy through joint research.