ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian state media reported, as Islamabad continues diplomatic efforts to help ease tensions surrounding the ongoing Iran-US conflict and disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator since the war erupted following joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on Feb. 28, which triggered Iranian retaliation and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.
While a fragile ceasefire announced on Apr. 8 remains in place, negotiations between Washington and Tehran have largely stalled following a first round of direct talks in Islamabad, with disputes over Iran’s uranium enrichment program and regional security continuing to hamper progress.
“Iran's Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, and his visiting Pakistani counterpart, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, have discussed bilateral relations, including joint measures by the two neighboring countries to facilitate border trade, transit, and exchange of goods,” Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said.
IRNA said Momeni discussed a wide range of issues with Naqvi, “especially border trade and ways to boost it,” during the Pakistani minister’s “unannounced trip” to Tehran.
The news agency did not mention the US-Iran conflict or Pakistan’s mediation role, though it said “Momeni expressed his gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their friendly and brotherly stance towards the Islamic Republic, adding that good relations between the two countries are rooted in their history.”
The Pakistani government has also remained reticent about the purpose behind Naqvi’s visit.
“He has reached Iran,” an interior ministry source earlier confirmed to Arab News on condition of anonymity after Iranian media reported Naqvi’s visit.
The source did not offer further details.
IRNA reported earlier on Saturday that Naqvi had arrived in Tehran “a few hours ago” and was expected to meet senior officials of the Islamic Republic, while Iran’s Mehr news agency also reported the Pakistani minister’s arrival for talks with Iranian officials.
Naqvi had previously accompanied Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, during a three-day visit to Tehran in April, when Islamabad intensified contacts with regional capitals amid efforts to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the United States.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said last month the country remained engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at lowering regional tensions, though it declined to disclose details of ongoing discussions.
“The clock on diplomacy has not stopped. The peace process is working,” foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad at the time.
Both countries have also been working to enhance bilateral trade through border markets and barter mechanisms aimed at circumventing banking and currency restrictions. Sanctions and foreign exchange shortages remain key hurdles for Iran, making such alternative arrangements central to its trade strategy with Pakistan.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Pakistan in August last year, during which both countries signed agreements aimed at increasing bilateral trade to $10 billion by 2028.
Naqvi’s latest visit also comes a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in New Delhi that distrust of Washington remained the biggest obstacle in negotiations with the United States, while signaling openness to diplomatic support from countries in the region.
Tensions in the Gulf remain elevated despite the ceasefire, with Iran maintaining restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz and the United States continuing its blockade of Iranian ports, contributing to volatility in global energy markets.
