TEHRAN, JUN 20: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad on Saturday, Iranian media reported, a day after planned negotiations between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were abruptly postponed.
The high‑profile Mohsin Naqvi Iran visit underscores Pakistan’s mediation efforts at a delicate moment in the volatile Iran‑US relationship. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed to ISNA news agency that “Pakistan’s interior minister will arrive in Iran at noon today, Saturday, as part of Pakistan’s efforts regarding the Iran‑US negotiations.”
Key Meetings in Tehran
During his stay, Naqvi is scheduled to meet his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni as well as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks are expected to focus on reviving the stalled diplomatic track and reinforcing the fragile truce that halted the worst Middle East fighting since early 2026.
Postponement of Switzerland Talks
Tehran and Washington had been due to hold a fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland on Friday, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war. However, the talks were postponed without a new date being set, adding urgency to Pakistan’s shuttle diplomacy. Alongside Pakistan, Qatar has also joined the mediation push that led to this week’s landmark deal.
Background: War and Truce
The conflict erupted on February 28 when coordinated US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several top military commanders. Iran retaliated with large‑scale missile and drone attacks, drawing in multiple regional actors. An April truce eventually brought the worst violence to a halt, and on Thursday Iran announced it had signed an agreement with the United States to end active hostilities. The next phase aims at a broader deal that would also address Iran’s long‑disputed nuclear programme.
Pakistan’s interior minister’s arrival in Iran is being closely watched as a signal that the backchannel remains open despite the postponement of face‑to‑face Iran‑US talks.
Source: Tasnim News Agency, ISNA, Iranian media reports.
