ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveled to Tehran on Wednesday for talks with senior Iranian officials, as Islamabad continued diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions between the United States and Iran amid fears of renewed conflict in the region.
Iranian state media outlets IRNA, Tasnim and IRIB first reported Naqvi’s visit and confirmed his arrival in Tehran.
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 disruptions linked to 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.
“Yes, the minister has left for Iran to meet senior official,” an Interior Ministry official confirmed to Arab News on condition of anonymity.
Naqvi had also visited Tehran over the weekend for meetings with Iranian officials as Islamabad intensified contacts with regional capitals in support of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The latest visit comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated again following warnings by US President Donald Trump that his country could resume strikes on Iran within days if no settlement is reached.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned on Wednesday that any renewed attacks by the US or Israel would trigger a broader regional conflict.
“If the aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will this time spread far beyond the region,” the Guards said in a statement reported by AFP.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also warned on social media that a “return to war will feature many more surprises.”
Pakistan has repeatedly called for diplomacy and restraint, with officials saying Islamabad remains engaged with regional and international partners to help prevent further escalation in the Gulf.
Last month, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the country remained involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at lowering regional tensions, while declining to disclose details of the 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.
