Pakistan hosts Iranian Delegation amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions

ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter) – Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Pakistan for crucial talks aimed at navigating the rapidly escalating crisis.

The high-profile visit comes at a pivotal moment, as Pakistan intensifies behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation between Tehran and Washington following the collapse of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)—a 14-point framework brokered by Islamabad in June to reduce hostilities, restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and create momentum for broader negotiations.

Momeni was received at Islamabad by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who welcomed the Iranian delegation. During his stay, Iranian minister is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. According to officials, the discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation, enhancing border security, assessing the evolving regional security landscape and exploring avenues for continued diplomatic coordination.

Momeni is also expected to consult Pakistani officials who played a role in mediation efforts that previously facilitated a temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States before the agreement eventually unraveled.

The visit comes as the security situation across the Middle East continues to deteriorate. The United States has expanded military operations inside Iran, including strikes near a city hosting a nuclear power facility. Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks across the region, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming responsibility for strikes on sites in Bahrain, Jordan and Syria. Bahraini authorities, however, have accused Iran of targeting the kingdom’s air navigation infrastructure.

Iran Declares Full-Scale War As US Strikes Intensify

The fragile truce brokered through Pakistan collapsed after US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire effectively over, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the conflict as a “full-scale war.” Tehran has since accused Washington of violating the Islamabad-mediated agreement.

Despite the intensifying military confrontation, diplomatic channels remain active. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has confirmed that indirect communication with the United States continues through international mediators, raising cautious hopes that negotiations could still resume.

The renewed conflict has also rattled global energy markets, sending crude oil prices to their highest levels in weeks amid growing fears over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors. Iran has reinstated restrictions affecting maritime traffic through the waterway, while the United States has announced additional measures targeting Iranian ports.

Since hostilities escalated following US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year, Pakistan has increasingly positioned itself as a regional mediator. The Islamabad MoU, signed on June 18 through Pakistan’s diplomatic facilitation, sought to establish an interim roadmap for de-escalation, restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and create space for sustained dialogue between Washington and Tehran.