Iranian interior minister meets PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir in Islamabad

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni held separate meetings in Islamabad on Tuesday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s top military leadership, as Pakistan continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran amid tensions in the Middle East, according to a monitored public feed and official statements.

At the Prime Minister House, Shehbaz Sharif received Momeni and reaffirmed Pakistan’s concern over the escalation in the Gulf region. According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier urged restraint from all sides and said Pakistan would continue to act as an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator” in efforts aimed at regional peace and stability.

The prime minister also recalled his recent visit to Tehran, where he attended the funeral ceremony of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei earlier this month. He conveyed respectful greetings and good wishes to Supreme Leader Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei and President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Iranian minister thanked the prime minister for the welcome extended to him and his delegation in Islamabad. He said he was leading a high-level team to help deepen bilateral ties. Momeni also expressed appreciation for Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for what he described as their mediation efforts that contributed to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Those talks were attended by senior Pakistani officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Tauqir Shah and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry.

Earlier in the day, Momeni met Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, regional and bilateral security, and border management. The ISPR said the Iranian dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to ease regional tensions and its role in encouraging de-escalation.

The military’s media wing added that both sides reaffirmed their resolve to maintain close coordination and cooperative mechanisms to support regional security and mutual prosperity.

Momeni arrived in Pakistan on Monday night and was received by Mohsin Naqvi. His visit included ceremonial engagements in Islamabad, including a police parade in his honour and a guard of honour at the Pakistan Monument.

His trip comes as Pakistan continues trying to support diplomacy between the United States and Iran, following the collapse of a temporary understanding between the two sides. Iranian officials have said diplomatic contacts through mediators remain under way, even as hostilities have continued.

Beyond the crisis, the visit also reflects efforts by Islamabad and Tehran to expand economic cooperation. Momeni told Iranian media that both countries are aiming to raise annual trade from about $3 billion to $10 billion, and that improving cross-border transport capacity would be central to reaching that target.

Pakistan and Iran share a long border and maintain close historical, cultural and religious ties, though their relations have periodically faced strain from border security and militant violence.

This report is based on a monitored public feed and official readouts from Pakistani authorities. Source: Dawn Home - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017273/iranian-interior-minister-meets-pm-shehbaz-cdf-munir-in-islamabad