Iran's Interior Minister Iskandar Momeni lands in Islamabad to deepen diplomatic ties
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi received Momeni at the airport, while Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry presented him with a bouquet. Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, was also present for the arrival.
Naqvi described the visit as an opportunity to build on existing goodwill between the two neighbouring nations and voiced hope that it would help ease broader regional pressures.
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Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on an official visit, where he was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. During the visit, Momeni is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.… pic.twitter.com/7hhXFkclIB
The trip unfolds against a tense regional backdrop, with Iran and the United States locked in a renewed military standoff that has unsettled a fragile ceasefire reached earlier this year through Pakistani-mediated talks.
Momeni's delegation includes senior figures from Iran's interior, foreign, agriculture and transport ministries, along with the head of the National Iranian Oil Company, underlining the economic dimension of the trip.
During talks, both sides reaffirmed a goal of pushing bilateral trade from its current level of roughly $3 billion to $10 billion. Momeni also proposed easing cross-border movement of goods, floating a plan to allow thousands of trucks and cargo containers to cross the shared frontier daily. Officials said discussions would additionally cover border security, counter-terrorism coordination and cooperation on transit and agricultural trade.
Momeni is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his stay. Reports also indicate that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian may visit Pakistan later this month to further the diplomatic push, which would mark his second visit to the country since taking office.
The visit signals Tehran's intent to strengthen ties with a key regional partner at a moment when its confrontation with Washington has raised concerns over stability along vital trade and energy routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. For Pakistan, closer coordination with Iran offers a chance to expand border trade and manage security challenges along their shared frontier.
