LAHORE- My younger son Raham, who is still nine years old, came running to me and paused to catch his breath. I was just looking at him when he suddenly said, “A few days ago, you met the Iranian uncle in Lahore and your photos were also published with him, his helicopter has gone missing.”

I started looking at his face in surprise, then he put the mobile phone in front of me. The news of the disappearance of the helicopter of the President of Iran, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran along with his colleagues was circulating. Tears came to my helpless eyes and I started telling my young son that he is the president of Iran and a friend of Pakistan. All of us in the family prostrated in the court of All Mighty Allah like other millions of Pakistanis and started praying for the safety of the President of Iran, Foreign Minister, and others, but the decision of the All Mighty had already been issued, which one day or the other day will be issued for every soul.

It has to happen and the confirmation of the martyrdom of the Iranian President, Foreign Minister, and their colleagues started playing on the TV screen. Iranians are a brave nation and know how to face challenges. When Ayatollah Khomeini died, Iran handled itself with courage even then and now again Iran will soon be out from this painful situation.

Recently, when the late President Raisi visited Pakistan, I had an opportunity to meet with him and the late Iranian Foreign Minister. I was already an admirer of Ebrahim Raisi's wisdom since when I met him in Iran in 2016 and he had not yet assumed the position of the President of Iran. In this meeting, instead of an emotional conversation or a political style, he had a very reasoned discussion on the intricacies of Iran-Pakistan relations. He firmly believed that close brotherly relations are in the best interests of both countries and cannot be seen through the eyes of ideological debates going on for centuries. I remember that the meeting with him in Pakistan took place in the residential part of the Governor House Lahore where arrangements were made for the ceremony in honor of the President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi. When Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri introduced me to martyred President Ebrahim Raisi, at that time, a loving smile spread on the face of the Iranian president. What a beautiful smile it was.

I mentioned to President Ebrahim Raisi the meeting I had in Iran in 2016, and he immediately said that he remembered that meeting and the conversation that took place in it, which was a very pleasant feeling for me. This event was organized by the Chief Minister of Punjab Her Excellency Maryam Nawaz in honor of the distinguished guest. The visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was of extraordinary importance for the relations between the two countries. The high-level authorities of both countries were very active in order to make the effects of the unpleasant situation on the Pakistan-Iran border a thing of the past and the late President Raisi and the late Foreign Minister were also successful in achieving this goal.

Especially the ambassador of Iran Reza Amiri had accelerated his activities so that both countries could be taken out of the bad effects of this situation as soon as possible at any cost. In this event, the Consul General of Iran in Lahore, Mehran Mahdfar, who is very enthusiastic about improving relations with Pakistan arranged a meeting with the Iranian foreign minister. I had a separate short conversation with the martyred Iranian Foreign Minister, in which the Iranian Foreign Minister clearly said that in order to further improve the relations between Pakistan and Iran, the governments of the two countries as well as people like you should play their role so that there should be no kind of miscommunication between the two brotherly countries. There should be room for understanding to exist. He was very keen to establish cordial relations with Pakistan. It should be clear that Martyred President Raisi made this visit when Pakistan was struggling with the worst economic situation and it was a sign of his being a true friend of Pakistan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is fully aware of Pakistan's economic recovery and its needs, has repeatedly expressed that Pakistan's foreign policy will be related to economic needs and in this case, improving relationships with Iran is very important. The previous Shahbaz Sharif government had obtained electricity from Iran to meet the electricity needs in Gwadar and President Raisi attended the electricity supply ceremony along with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Only memories are left. Both of these leaders understood very well that strategic changes in our region are appearing continuously and we have to walk side by side in the times of these changes.

Pakistanis are confident that the Iranian leadership will further strengthen Pakistan-friendly policy as per the vision of the martyred President Raisi.