Mohsin Naqvi Tehran visit to support diplomacy amid US-Iran tensions

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is scheduled to visit Tehran on Saturday, as tensions rise between the US and Iran. An official statement said the trip aims to support peace efforts. Pakistan is continuing diplomacy to encourage talks between both sides, after earlier contacts did not produce an agreement.

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Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier in the day, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The two discussed the Tehran visit and wider security matters. The statement said consultations took place about the visit, and Sharif offered guidance related to Naqvi’s discussions in Iran.

US-Iran tensions and Pakistan peace talks

The wider conflict in West Asia affected energy markets worldwide and interrupted trade routes. The fighting started after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. Iran then carried out retaliatory action. A ceasefire later paused the conflict on April 8, but political tensions have continued since then.

Since the April 8 ceasefire, the US and Iran have sent messages through Pakistan about possible peace talks. Pakistan also hosted the first direct talks between the two countries in April. However, the discussions ended without a deal, keeping uncertainty in the region and beyond.

Pakistan-Iran relations and US-Iran tensions at SCO

Naqvi’s Tehran trip will be the third visit in recent weeks, as Pakistan keeps up contacts with Iran. The PMO statement also said Naqvi briefed Sharif on meetings held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, linked to the same diplomatic efforts.

A day earlier in Bishkek, Naqvi met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, the Interior Ministry said in a post on X. The two reviewed Pakistan-Iran relations and recent regional developments. The PMO statement also said the Sharif-Naqvi meeting covered steps to maintain peace nationwide and protect citizens.

Pakistan’s latest push comes as both Washington and Tehran continue seeking ways to reduce risk after the ceasefire. Naqvi’s planned talks in Tehran will follow earlier exchanges and meetings in Bishkek. Officials have linked the outreach to national security concerns and to the goal of supporting dialogue between the US and Iran.

With inputs from PTI