ISLAMABAD, APR 25: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, leading a high-level delegation, on Saturday held talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the evolving regional situation, as Islamabad steps up efforts to revive stalled peace negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also participated in the meeting, a statement issued by the PM Office said.
Following the meeting, PM Shehbaz that said he and the Iranian delegation exchanged views on the regional situation.
“We also discussed matters of mutual interest, including further strengthening Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations,” the premier wrote in a post on X.
The Araghchi-led Iranian delegation departed Pakistan after meeting the country’s top civil and military leadership, sources said.
The sources privy to the matter said the high-level Iranian delegation, which landed in Islamabad on the first leg of a tri-nation trip, will now visit Muscat and Moscow.
The key meeting came as Islamabad is making all-out efforts to facilitate the second round of talks between Tehran and Washington.
After mediating a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran on April 8, PM Shehbaz had invited delegations from both sides to Islamabad for negotiations.
However, the first round of talks concluded without an agreement as Tehran and Washington disagreed on key issues such as Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and the control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran closed the strait for all traffic after the US and Israel launched a joint bombing campaign against Iran on February 28, which ended on April 8 following the Pakistan-mediated ceasefire.
Despite the inconclusive first round of talks and US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade of Iranian ports, Islamabad continued its efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table and ensure an extension in the ceasefire.
Hours before the expiry of the truce on April 22, President Trump announced extending the ceasefire, saying he was acting at the request of Pakistan.
The US president said that he was holding off attacks until Iranian leaders and representatives could come up with what he called a unified proposal.
Washington also confirmed that Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head to Pakistan on Saturday for a new round of talks with Iran on ending the war.
Speaking to Fox News on Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Vice President JD Vance remained ready to fly to Pakistan but will not for now.
Iran’s FM calls on CDF Munir
Meanwhile, earlier today, FM Araghchi also called on Field Marshal Munir in the federal capital before he met PM Shehbaz.
Diplomatic sources told Geo News that Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Asim Malik and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also attended the meeting.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam and Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei were also present during the huddle.
Araghchi, accompanied by the Iranian delegation, landed in Islamabad Friday night.
At the time of his arrival, the Foreign Office said that the Iranian foreign minister would hold meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability.
Ahead of Araghchi’s visit, Iran’s state media reported that he was embarking on a tri-nation tour that includes visits to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow.
“The purpose of this visit is to hold bilateral consultations and discuss current developments in the region, as well as the latest situation in the war imposed by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran,” the state news agency IRNA said.
