TEHRAN, JUN 6: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi landed in Tehran to hold talks with the Iranian leadership, aviation sources said on Saturday, as Pakistan stepped up efforts to help revive dialogue between the United States and Iran.
The interior minister’s visit comes amid renewed tensions between Washington and Tehran, with recent tit-for-tat attacks threatening the fragile ceasefire, in place since April 8.
Sources said that Naqvi is set to meet the Iranian leadership during his visit to discuss regional developments.
Pakistan has been acting as a key mediator between the US and Iran since hostilities erupted in the Middle East late February.
The Middle East conflict began after the US and Iran launched coordinated attacks on Iran on February 28. Tehran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US bases across the region, and also closed the Strait of Hormuz.
While hostilities have largely subsided since the April 8 ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, the US and Iran have exchanged strikes on several occasions, with each side accusing the other of violating the truce.
Before leaving for Tehran, the interior minister called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss his visit and review domestic law and order and security situation.
During the meeting, the prime minister provided guidance to Naqvi regarding his Iran visit, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.
Sources said that Naqvi was also carrying a special message from Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
However, no official details regarding the contents of the message have been disclosed.
Iranian state media later confirmed Naqvi’s visit, saying he was on his way to Tehran to meet the country’s leadership.
PM Shehbaz had also provided Naqvi with special instructions concerning ongoing discussions regarding Iran-US talks, highlighting Islamabad’s close attention to developments affecting regional stability and diplomacy, Iran’s state news agency Irna reported.
Renewed tension
Tensions between Washington and Tehran surged again on Friday when the US military said it struck radar sites in Iran after downing drones headed toward the strait.
Shortly after, air raid sirens sounded in neighboring Gulf nations Kuwait and Bahrain — both US allies — and AFP correspondents in both countries heard explosions.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said early Saturday they had targeted “enemy bases in the area” with missiles in response to a US “invasion” of the country’s Sirik and Qeshm islands.
US Central Command (Centcom) said Iran launched seven ballistic missiles towards Kuwait and Bahrain.
Centcom said six of the missiles were downed while the seventh “did not reach its intended target.”
“There are currently no reports of harm to US personnel, and Iranian claims of damaging US 5th fleet headquarters in Bahrain are false,” the command said in a statement.
