Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni reached Islamabad on Monday night, accompanied by a high-level delegation, amidst mounting hostilities between Tehran and Washington.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi welcomed his Iranian counterpart at the airport, while State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry presented Momeni with a bouquet. Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam was also present on the occasion.
Welcoming Momeni, Naqvi expressed the hope that his visit would bring positive developments and help further strengthen bilateral relations. “Your visit to Pakistan will promote bilateral relations. Progress on the regional situation is also expected,” he said.
Momeni said he was pleased to meet Naqvi again and described relations between the two countries as strong. “Pakistan and Iran’s relations are unparalleled,” he said, adding he had always appreciated the hospitality extended by the Pakistani government and people.
As part of his scheduled appointments during his visit, Momeni is set to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The Iranian delegation includes the governor general of Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran’s deputy interior minister, deputy minister for urban development and transport, head of the National Iranian Oil Company, a special representative of the agriculture minister and other senior officials.
The Iranian government, in a post on X, said the visit aimed to boost border security and bilateral cooperation in transit and agriculture and aligned with the goal to increase trade from $3 billion to $10 billion. “Following his Pakistan visit, Momeni will travel to New Delhi, India, at the invitation of his Indian counterpart to attend the BRICS Meeting of Ministers for Disaster Management, focusing on disaster risk reduction,” it added.
The visit came amid heightened regional tensions resulting from the United States and Iran exchanging fresh strikes. The latest salvos follow the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago, with both vying for control of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.