Islamabad, May 17 (PTI) Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday held high-level talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, focusing on regional security, recent hostilities, and efforts to consolidate a fragile ceasefire, according to media reports.
Naqvi landed in Iran on Saturday on an unscheduled trip apparently to make efforts for a negotiated solution of the conflict with the US.
The Express Tribune reported quoting Iran’s state-news agency that Naqvi on Sunday held high-level talks with Pezeshkian in Tehran.
Quoting a statement from the Pakistani embassy in Tehran, the Iranian news agency said Naqvi spent nearly 90 minutes in a private meeting with the Iranian president at the Presidential Administration, with his total visit to the complex lasting around three hours.
Pezeshkian praised what he described as the responsible corporation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq in preventing their territories from being used as bases for armed operations against Iran.
He said solidarity among Islamic nations was essential for regional peace and reduced the scope for external intervention, including what he referred to as “adventurism by extra-regional powers and the Israeli regime.”
The Iranian president also praised Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during recent tensions, particularly the role of its political and military leadership in supporting ceasefire stabilisation efforts.
“President Pezeshkian highly commended the active diplomacy of the Pakistani government—particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir—in facilitating and stabilising the recent ceasefire,” the statement said.
Naqvi, for his part, highlighted Pakistan’s continued diplomatic engagement aimed at de-escalation and ending hostilities, noting that recent events had clarified regional alignments and “provided a vital baseline for future strategic decisions.”
The meeting also addressed wider regional developments, with Pezeshkian condemning recent military actions against Iran and describing them as unlawful and aimed at destabilisation. He said such efforts had failed due to national unity and resilience.
“The adversaries’ primary objective was to trigger domestic instability and dismantle the Islamic system,” he added.
On bilateral relations, the Iranian president expressed interest in expanding trade, academic exchange, and scientific cooperation, saying recent developments had created “an ideal opportunity” to deepen ties.
Naqvi underscored the “deep historical, cultural, and grassroots ties” between Pakistan and Iran, expressing optimism that political will on both sides would elevate cooperation.
Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also attended the meeting. Momeni praised what he described as Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace, including efforts attributed to Pakistan’s military leadership.
Naqvi arrived in Tehran on a two-day visit and was received by Momeni, marking the start of discussions aimed at facilitating dialogue and reviewing evolving regional developments.
On Saturday, the interior minister and his Iranian counterpart reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral engagement and addressing shared regional challenges, as Pakistan continued efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington amid ongoing tensions in the region.
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 following months of conflict and failed negotiations.
Separately, Dawn reported quoting Iran’s IRNA news agency that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also met with Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf. No more details of the meeting have been provided
Meanwhile, Iranian envoy to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the US-Iran war, Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
In a post on X, Khan said, “Iranian Ambassador called upon, appreciated Pakistan’s role in mediating and facilitating the parties to solve the current conflict”.