Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart reaffirm the push for stability. Tehran praises Islamabad’s role in easing tensions. Two accounts
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni in Tehran as he arrives on a two-day visit to Iran. SCREEN CAPTURE
ISLAMABAD:
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral engagement and addressing shared regional challenges, as Pakistan continues its efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington amid ongoing tensions in the region.
Naqvi arrived in Tehran on a two-day visit and was received by Momeni, marking the beginning of discussions aimed at facilitating dialogue and reviewing developments in regional events.
The visit comes at a critical time as Pakistan remains engaged in diplomatic efforts to help revive direct talks between Iran and the United States after months of conflict and failed negotiations.
Iran’s WANA news agency reported that the two ministers held detailed discussions on regional stability and bilateral cooperation.
“Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepen interactions to address shared regional challenges,” the report said.
During the meeting, Momeni reportedly praised the efforts of the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, and described his role in seeking a resolution to the current regional tensions as “sincere and committed.”
He also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
Both sides further reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the long-standing ties and brotherhood between Iran and Pakistan, while emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation to promote peace, security and prosperity across the region.
The talks were also attended by several senior Iranian officials and representatives of the Pakistani embassy in Tehran.
Earlier, an Interior Ministry spokesperson told Anadolu that the visit was already scheduled.
The visit marks Naqvi’s second consecutive trip to Iran in as many months. Last month, he also visited the country along with Field Marshal Asim Munir.
During that visit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who received the Pakistani delegation, expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue efforts with the United States, saying it reflected the “deep and great bilateral relationship” between the two countries.
“Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong and shared,” he had said.
The latest diplomatic engagement comes as Pakistan continues to mediate between Washington and Tehran in an attempt to secure a lasting end to the conflict that began with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, followed by Iranian retaliation against Israel and other countries in the region hosting US assets.
Pakistan had earlier negotiated a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, followed by critical talks in Islamabad attended by high-level delegations from both countries on April 11 and 12.
However, the talks failed to make any progress and neither side was able to reach an agreement to end the conflict.
Since then, both sides have continued to exchange proposals and counterproposals in an effort to find common ground and resume a second round of direct negotiations aimed at ending the crisis, which has already disrupted global energy supplies and affected daily life across the region.
While Pakistan remains hopeful that direct talks can resume, sources said there has been no “significant” change in Iran’s previous position on the nuclear issue in its latest response to the US proposals.
According to the sources, Tehran’s response, delivered to the United States through Islamabad last week, focused mainly on an “immediate” end to hostilities, with “little [in it] in terms of Washington’s core demand over Iran’s nuclear program.”
Iran, the sources added, has proposed “broader and separate” talks on the nuclear issue due to its “complexity.”
However, Tehran has “reiterated” its willingness to halt uranium enrichment for a period of five years, while rejecting Washington’s demand for a 20-year moratorium, according to the sources.
