Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed deep concern over renewed hostilities in the Gulf, as he urged Iran and the United States to exercise restraint during a meeting with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability, Sharif said the country would continue to play its role as an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator.” Momeni, currently on an official visit to Pakistan, also met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier welcomed the Iranian minister and his delegation, recalling his attendance of the funeral of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei in Tehran earlier this month. He conveyed his good wishes and respectful regards to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation. Momeni, per the statement, conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the Iranian leadership. He said he was leading a delegation of senior officials to further strengthen ties between the neighboring countries.
The Iranian minister also thanked Pakistan’s leadership for its diplomatic efforts and expressed appreciation for the prime minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Munir for their role in facilitating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
He also thanked the prime minister for traveling to Tehran to attend the late ayatollah’s funeral ceremony.
Meeting with Army chief
In his meeting with the field marshal, Momeni discussed matters of mutual interest, regional and bilateral security and effective border management.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the visiting Iranian official appreciated Pakistan’s consistent efforts and indispensable diplomatic role in easing regional tensions, encouraging de-escalation and serving as an anchor for peace.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of resolve to maintain close coordination and cooperative mechanisms to safeguard regional security and mutual prosperity.
Momeni reached Islamabad on Monday as part of an official visit, with Iran’s foreign ministry indicating diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Tehran were ongoing through mediators despite ongoing exchanges of airstrikes.
Pakistan has stressed it encourages a resumption of talks under the Islamabad MoU, stressing the interim agreement had set a path for a permanent halt to the conflict that began with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28.