Pakistan's Interior Minister meets Iranian FM Araghchi, discusses US-Iran talks

Islamabad: Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday and discussed the issues related to the US-Iran peace talks, amid reports about the possible visit of Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Tehran.

Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday on his second trip in less than a week to bridge the gap between the US and Iran, as Pakistan intensified efforts to arrange a deal between the two warring sides and end the war in the region.

Foreign Minister Araghchi met Naqvi in Tehran on Thursday morning to discuss the indirect Iran-US negotiations, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

According to state-run Press TV, Munir is "set to visit Tehran on Thursday as Islamabad ramps up Iran-US mediation efforts."

There were no immediate comments from Pakistan about the ongoing visit of Naqvi or the possible trip of the army chief.

During his second visit to the Iranian capital within a week, Naqvi also held talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's interior minister, and other senior officials.

President Pezeshkian and Naqvi discussed the latest regional developments, bilateral relations, and the status of diplomatic consultations linked to the ongoing indirect talks between Iran and the US, IRNA reported.

The two sides stressed the necessity of continuing political consultations and strengthening regional cooperation while reviewing developments related to the negotiation process, diplomatic initiatives, and ways to help promote regional stability and security.

Pezeshkian praised Pakistan's "positions, support and efforts" in backing regional stability, security, and cooperation, and emphasised the importance of expanding bilateral ties and maintaining political coordination between Tehran and Islamabad.

Naqvi, for his part, conveyed the messages and views of Pakistani officials regarding ongoing regional developments and "the importance of continuing the path of dialogue and mutual understanding."

The US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran on February 28, assassinating senior Iranian officials and commanders and targeting civilian infrastructure, residential areas, educational institutes, and historical and cultural sites.

In response, the Iranian forces fired hundreds of drones and missiles, targeting sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets throughout the region.

On April 8, Tehran and Washington reached a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, followed by inconclusive negotiations to permanently end the war. At the end of two weeks, Trump further extended the ceasefire, without giving any deadline.

Naqvi's latest visit came as Trump on Tuesday offered a deadline of several days for resuming strikes if a deal is not agreed. He had said a day earlier that Gulf Arab leaders asked him to hold off on an attack at the 11th hour.

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that a "return to war will feature many more surprises".

Separately, the Revolutionary Guards issued a warning that any further attack on Iran will "lead to a conflict that extends far beyond the borders of West Asia."

Both Munir and Naqvi visited Tehran last month and held talks with top Iranian leaders.

However, despite Pakistan's non-stop diplomatic push, Iran and the US were unable to bridge their differences.

Pakistan last month hosted the two sides for a rare high-level interaction, but the talks failed.