Pakistan’s embassy in Iran on Sunday refuted rumours of an attack on Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui in Tehran, terming them “baseless”.
In a post on X, the embassy said it had taken note of “certain reports circulating in social media and other forums” concerning the Pakistani ambassador to Iran.
The embassy shared a post from another X account, which had posted a video showing a commotion amongst a large crowd of people in an unidentified building, with several people appearing to engage in physical altercations.
The account that posted the video alleged, citing reports, that the Pakistani ambassador had been attacked in Tehran at an unspecified event where he had been invited. It did not specify the nature or origin of the reports.
The account claimed that Siddiqui was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
“The embassy categorically clarifies that these reports are baseless and factually incorrect,” the post by Pakistan’s embassy in Tehran said.
The ambassador himself has not made any statement on his X account about the rumours.
Pakistan appointed Ambassador Siddiqui as its envoy to neighbouring Iran in February. Before assuming his current post, he served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Bangladesh.
Last month, the information ministry refuted rumours that Pakistan’s envoy in London was “confronted and attacked with a white powder-like substance”.
It said the video being shared on social media was “fake and is being circulated with a misleading caption”.
Pakistan is “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between Iran and the United States, the military’s spokesman said on Friday in his first interview since a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has been to Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday alongside Saudi and Turkish officials.
“Why would the Field Marshal be going twice if it is not for some positivity? So yes, of course,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said when asked whether the trips were a positive sign.
“The word that we would use is always cautiously optimistic,” added Lt Gen Chaudhry.
There were still “powerful spoilers and detractors,” who believed conflict serves them, he added without naming them.
Speaking in Rawalpindi, he declined to say what was discussed or whether the US had backed the trip.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joined CDF Munir in Tehran on Monday.
The talks were the first high-level contact between Iran and all members of the Makkah Defence Alliance since Saudi Arabia was drawn deeper into the conflict. Under the Makkah pact, of which both Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are a part and which was signed on August 7, an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
The pact has taken on added significance as the Iran war has redrawn regional alliances and raised fears of a broader Middle East conflict.
After Monday’s talks, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said regional security should be ensured by regional countries without foreign intervention.
The wording of the pact does not bar new members, Lt Gen Chaudhry said on Friday when asked whether Iran could join.
“Anyone who has a shared vision of collective deterrence and regional peace, why not? Everyone is most welcome,” he said, adding that it was for the political leadership of the three principal parties to decide.
Asked whether more Pakistani troops were being sent to Saudi Arabia under the agreement, the DG ISPR said that it would depend on the situation and the decision of both countries’ political leadership.
He said Pakistan was committed to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy sites of Makkah and Madina.
“We are not part of the Yemeni conflict, which is an intra-Yemen conflict,” he added.
Asked if there would now be larger military-led campaigns in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rules, Lt Gen Chaudhry said that was not how the army conducted counter-terrorism.
“Our counter-terrorism operations are based on what we call IBOs, intelligence-based operations… The tempo of the freedom of action of (those) IBOs will further increase,” he said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday called for “regional unity” at a meeting in Tehran with representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which recently signed the Makkah defence pact.
“I hope that the presence of representatives of important and influential Islamic countries at this meeting will help further consolidate regional unity and cohesion,” Pezeshkian said, according to a statement shared on the presidential website, urging Islamic countries to “stand together and adopt a coordinated position”.
“Muslims are brothers to one another and must stand together as a united front against threats and actions targeting Muslim nations,” he stressed.
Condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and other regional countries, he said: “We must not allow the Israeli regime to assassinate and aggress against any individual or country whenever it desires. I am confident that if Islamic countries stand alongside each other and adopt a coordinated stance, the possibility of such actions repeating will not exist.”
The Iranian president also criticised the United States for claiming “readiness for negotiation and dialogue simultaneously with attacking Iran” during the war.
Pezeshkian stressed the need for translating political understandings into practical actions, stating: “We are determined to tread this path, but achieving this goal requires Islamic countries to reach a common understanding of their objectives, draw a clear vision, and pursue the implementation of agreements with mutual commitment until results are achieved.”
He cautioned against policies of the United States and Israel that were aimed at “creating a rift among Muslim nations”, and called for heightened vigilance.
The Iranian president also called for increased cooperation among regional countries in various fields.
Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster earlier shared a video of the meeting, saying the quadrilateral meeting on “regional security and stability” had begun. The video showed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi sitting with Iran’s president, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and security chief Mohsen Rezaei.
Earlier in the day, Inter-Services Public Relations had confirmed that CDF Munir was visiting Tehran, but did not share any further details.
The talks also included Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkiye’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin.
At the start of the meeting, Iran’s state broadcaster reported the meeting was bringing together Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to discuss “regional cooperation, the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and its consequences”, among other topics.
State-run PressTV also shared pictures of the meeting.
Following the meeting, Rezaei, head of Supreme National Security Council, told state television, “Very good discussions took place between us.”
“I feel that a new atmosphere is emerging in the region … I sensed a very positive atmosphere in the discussions among the gentlemen.”
Iranian state television reported that the four countries agreed to continue talks after a “first” meeting in Tehran. It said they “agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation… including on regional peace and security”.
‘Endogenous security’
Earlier, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted the deputy secretary of Iran’s top security body, Ali Bagheri Kani, as saying that the visit was part of efforts to implement the idea of endogenous security in West Asia.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, said during a media briefing that the meeting with officials from the three countries would cover “most pressing issues threatening our region”, which included Israel’s expansionist policies, developments in Palestine and Lebanon.
He added that the topic of “top priority on the agenda would be consequences of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and its ramifications for the entire region”.
IRNA further quoted him as saying that this meeting could be a prelude to further steps towards shaping “endogenous security — an issue that we have been insisting on for decades”.
“We emphasise that regional security will not be ensured except by relying on the … security considerations of the countries of the region,” he said, adding that events of the last two years, especially the past eight months, had shown that sustainable and reliable security would only be made possible by “building trust and cooperation among the countries in the region”.
Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly had also confirmed the visit in a post on X. Krimly described the visit as “part of the continued efforts by the Makkah Defence Alliance members for de-escalation between parties involved in the ongoing crisis, and promoting dialogue and diplomatic solutions, in support of the mediation efforts carried out by Qatar and Pakistan”.
“The visit underscores the pivotal role of Makkah Defence Alliance members in reinforcing regional security and stability, and working with all countries in the region to achieve that goal,” he added.
The visit comes as attacks by Houthis have spiralled over recent weeks and rhetoric between Washington and Tehran has grown more heated.
Monday’s planned talks would be the first high-level contact between Iran and all members of the Makkah Defence Alliance since Saudi Arabia was drawn deeper into the conflict. Under the Makkah pact, signed in August, an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
CDF Munir had visited Iran last week. During the visit, Iranian leaders had conveyed that the US must take the first steps to rebuild trust, and that the acceptance of Tehran’s seven-point proposal could provide a starting point for renewed negotiations.
According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, Baqaei said during the media briefing that the suggestion for the meeting was made during CDF Munir’s visit to Tehran last week. Tehran reviewed the proposal “favourably … and it is scheduled to be held today”, he added.
War has engulfed the Middle East since late February when the US and Israel launched a wave of surprise attacks on Iran, just as Washington and Tehran were in the middle of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.
An April ceasefire brought an end to the initial phase of intense bombardment but the two sides have continued to vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to travel.
Iran claims control over the strait and regularly targets vessels that attempt to cross without its authorisation, while the United States has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis remain stalled, especially since the collapse of a June deal which laid out a pathway to a permanent settlement.
The war has since spread across the region to include fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen.
GWADAR: Pakistan reopened its border crossing with Iran at Gabd-Rimdan on Saturday, restoring bilateral trade and allowing stranded trucks carrying LPG and essential food commodities to resume movement after a weeklong suspension that began on Oct 17.
Border officials cleared commercial consignments holding a consignment note dated Oct 16 or earlier to cross at the Gabd-Rimdan point, known as Gate 250, in Gwadar.
Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that trade operations resumed on Saturday morning.
“Pakistan has opened the border with Iran at Gabd-Rimdan this morning and allowed trucks and other vehicles to move toward Iran and Pakistan with import and export goods,” Kalmati said.
Kalmati welcomed the decision, noting that the resumption of cross-border commerce will bring immediate relief to traders and transporters stranded on both sides.
He added that the restored supply chain is expected to ease a nationwide LPG shortage and reduce soaring energy and food prices across Pakistan.
Saturday’s reopening came after local administrators reviewed the security situation and deployed additional forces to protect trade convoys following an attack earlier in the week.
On Thursday, unidentified gunmen had targeted the backlog of freight vehicles parked near the closed Gabd-Rimdan crossing, setting dozens of trucks ablaze and damaging several others.
Those trucks had been stranded since Oct 17, when Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce abruptly suspended trade at both the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings. The ministry issued a memorandum withdrawing an Oct 3 trade order with immediate effect without specifying a reason for the halt.
ISLAMABAD: Iranian leaders have told Pakistan that the United States must take the first steps to rebuild trust, and that the acceptance of Tehran’s seven-point proposal could provide a starting point for renewed negotiations.
The message was conveyed during Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit on Tuesday, where he met with President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Mohsen Rezaei, a representative of Iran’s supreme leader and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also accompanied the army chief.
As diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent a resumption of hostilities, Field Marshal Munir’s visit is being viewed as a move to quell escalating regional tensions.
Tehran says acceptance of its 7-point proposal can be starting point for renewed talks with US
The visit came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Iranian leaders on the conflict and efforts to restore regional stability.
The visit was aimed at conveying messages and exploring whether the Islamabad understanding could still provide a basis for negotiations, but no breakthrough or formal agreement was announced after Tuesday’s meetings.
The discussions also touched on bilateral relations, including a recent disruption in commercial trade across the Pakistan-Iran border. Iranian officials also raised concerns over the closure, while Field Marshal Munir told them that the border closure was temporary and due to technical reasons and that the crossings had reopened on Tuesday.
Importantly, Iranian officials reportedly shared with the field marshal their response to a US proposal, reiterating that Tehran would not make concessions under pressure and that Washington must meet its conditions before trust could be restored.
While there was no official word from Pakistan’s Foreign Office or Inter-Services Public Relations, Iranian media described the response as “clear, serious, and explicit”.
An Iranian source said the visiting Pakistani army chief was told that “Iran has nothing new to say to the Americans” and it was for them to return to Islamabad Memorandum.
Although not many details about President Pezeshkian’s meeting were released to media, in a post that was unrelated to his meeting with Field Marshal Munir, the president said that Iranians may endure hardship, but they will not surrender their land.
Speaker Ghalibaf told Field Marshal Munir that the US could not regain Iran’s trust without fulfilling the seven conditions Tehran had presented during meetings in New York. He said Washington’s past actions, including what Iran considers a violation of the Islamabad understanding, had only deepened its distrust of the US administration.
“Threats and military manoeuvres cannot influence the strategic decisions of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr Ghalibaf said, according to an Iranian account of the meeting, adding that it was now up to Washington to take the necessary steps to extricate itself from the conflict.
Mr Rezaei, meanwhile, said Iran would not surrender its enriched nuclear material, describing it as a national asset intended for domestic use. He said Iranian officials were united in their view that negotiations could not proceed without steps by Washington to meet Tehran’s conditions.
The inflexible Iranian response has thrown a challenge for Pakistan, which has sought to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran after an earlier diplomatic breakthrough failed to produce a lasting settlement.
Islamabad brokered a ceasefire in April and hosted direct talks that led to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June. The agreement outlined steps towards easing the conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing economic and nuclear issues, but the process subsequently stalled after disagreements.
Despite the breakdown of the peace process, Pakistan has continued to offer its good offices to both sides for preventing another round of fighting.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday highlighted Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, affirming that Islamabad “never gave up”.
He made the remarks while addressing the 8th Global Security Forum being held in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Convened under the title “The Future of Alliances“, the forum brings together high-ranking officials and dignitaries from over 100 nations, according to Qatar News Agency.
“The last few months have been very difficult for our region. The conflict involving Iran and the United States created serious risks not only for the Middle East, but for the entire world,” Naqvi noted.
He added that at such a critical time, Pakistan chose the path of peace and made “every possible effort to reduce tensions”.
Naqvi, who has been involved in Islamabad’s peace efforts and has made several trips to Iran since the war began, said: “There were moments when the situation was extremely tense, but we never gave up.
“We continued talking, listening and working to build trust. And I can tell you from my experience: peace is not achieved in one meeting; it requires patience, trust and continuous efforts.”
He particularly highlighted the “remarkable role” of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Pakistan’s efforts to reduce tensions.
CDF Munir, accompanied by Naqvi, had visited Iran in August “as part of Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability”. The interior minister last made a visit to Iran in September, with Tehran describing the trip as part of bilateral engagements.
Speaking at the Doha forum, Naqvi recalled the June 18 signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the US. The 14-point MoU, which Pakistan signed as a mediator, provided a framework for ending the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb 28.
“There, I saw something I will never forget,” he said, adding that Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and CDF Munir worked for “more than 16 hours without a single break”.
“No cameras, no announcements; only two men who refused to let the talks fail,” Naqvi remarked, emphasising that the only aim of the two mediating countries was to “stop further conflict and to save innocent lives”.
The minister praised Qatar’s peace efforts, noting it had “done so much”. “In the diplomacy of our time, when others chose sides, Qatar chose to keep talking. Pakistan has seen this closely because we have worked beside you.”
He stressed that Pakistan has always believed that “dialogue is better than war”.
“Our recent experience has taught us three important lessons: never close the door to dialogue, trust is the most important key for any kind of talk, and thirdly, peace requires sincere efforts from everyone.”
The senator emphasised that no single country could achieve regional peace alone.
“Pakistan is proud of the role it has played in the regional peace efforts,” he said, reaffirming that Islamabad would continue to support dialogue, peace and cooperation.
“We believe that winning peace is far more important than winning a war,” the minister remarked.
He conveyed Pakistan’s message: “We do not want credit for stopping wars. We want a future where wars do not start.”
The war between Washington and Tehran began in February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which responded with retaliatory attacks on nearby Gulf countries.
While diplomatic engagements continue, there has been a lack of progress in recent weeks in negotiations to end the war.
After an interim ceasefire collapsed, Iran in September presented its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — the key oil trade route that has remained central to the conflict.
The US said it had rejected that proposal, while Iran’s security chief said negotiations have stalled because Washington failed to address all seven conditions for reopening the strait. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s offer to the US to reopen the waterway within seven days was still on the table.
Meanwhile, the Middle East is currently facing heightened tensions on another front as Houthi rebels attack Saudi Arabia after a truce in their long-running war with Yemen’s coalition government unravelled in July.
Makkah alliance ‘not for war’
During his address, Naqvi cited the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August as an example of Islamabad’s commitment to regional security.
“It is a pact for defence, not for war,” he declared, adding that no country could “enjoy lasting peace if its neighbours are facing conflicts”.
The pact, under which the three countries have formed the Makkah Defence Alliance, empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
Naqvi also spoke about countering security challenges and called for stronger international cooperation on the matter.
“As Pakistan’s interior minister, I also understand the price of terrorism and insecurity. Pakistan has suffered greatly; thousands of our citizens, soldiers, and policemen have lost their lives. Even today, we continue to fight.”
Describing terrorism as a “common enemy”, he called for “stronger cooperation, better intelligence-sharing and joint efforts to defeat it”.
The senator noted that counterterrorism cooperation was not something Pakistan has only sought, but also provided. He then highlighted the country’s contributions to the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions.
“Our UN police peacekeepers have helped protect civilians, support local police and restore peace in countries affected by conflict. We are proud of their services and sacrifices,” he said.
GWADAR/QUETTA: Pakistan has suspended trade with Iran through the official Gabd-Rimdan (250) and Taftan border crossings, it emerged on Saturday.
The Ministry of Commerce issued a memorandum on Friday, seen by Dawn, withdrawing its earlier order [No. 9(3)2017-Iran] dated Oct 3 with immediate effect.
Shahid Rind, adviser to the Balochistan chief minister on media and political affairs, said the “purpose of the temporary closure of the Pak-Iran border is to address security concerns, prevent smuggling, and make the border system more effective”.
In a statement on X, Rind refuted “rumours being spread on social media” regarding the closure and urged the public not to pay attention to unverified information.
The Balochistan official stressed that the move was “necessary to improve the security situation and administrative affairs on both sides of the border”.
Rind affirmed that “progress continues between the high officials of both countries to resolve administrative issues” related to the border.
“In the context of the current progress, the Pak-Iran border is likely to reopen soon,” he said, adding that a coordinated system was being established to improve border affairs and prevent smuggling.
Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei also said the closure was temporary, Iran’s state-run Irnareported.
However, he attributed the move to “technical issues” and said the two countries were in consultations to resolve the problem and restore normal operations.
Separately, the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) has also advised its members and businesses involved in trade with Iran to stop placing new import and export orders until further notice.
Hundreds of freight vehicles carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), rice, fresh fruit and other essential commodities have reportedly been stranded on both sides of the border.
According to Iran-based Wana news agency, passenger traffic through the Rimdan–Gabd crossing remains operational. It quoted Syed Hossein Hosseini, director general of the Iranian Transit Office, as saying that commercial operations at the border crossing had been halted.
The Gabd-Rimdan crossing had become a major route for meeting Pakistan’s energy needs, with over 4,000 tonnes of LPG reportedly imported daily through it. Exports of Pakistani products, particularly rice, had also surged in recent months, generating millions of dollars in foreign exchange.
Sources in the trade and energy sector warned that the closure could aggravate LPG shortages in Karachi and other parts of the country.
The Taftan route was already facing disruptions amid unrest in Balochistan. The suspension of supplies through Gabd-Rimdan could push up LPG prices in the open market.
Local traders and the chamber have warned that the disruption could cause not only substantial losses to the national exchequer and jeopardise the livelihoods of many but also an energy crisis.
Since March this year, Islamabad and Tehran have rolled out a series of measures to facilitate border trade, including easing customs procedures, formalising Taftan as a customs station, and notifying new transit routes, against the backdrop of the ongoing US-Iran war that has strained economies in the region and beyond.
In early August, an Iranian delegation led by Trade and Industry Minister Mohammad Atabak visited Islamabad for the 10th session of the Pak–Iran Joint Trade Committee (JTC).
The delegation also met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with both sides agreeing to further expand trade ties by keeping border crossings open round the clock, improving logistics and harmonising customs procedures.
The visit came a couple of months after it was reported that trade between Pakistan and Iran through the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing had come to a complete halt.
According to Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Jiand Hoot, trade through the Panjgur and Mand-Radig border crossings was virtually non-existent because of poor road infrastructure and recurring incidents of arson and vehicle burnings.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said Pakistan is acting as an “honest broker” while mediating between the United States and Iran, reiterating the commitment to a “negotiated and peaceful” outcome.
The military’s spokesperson made the remarks in an interview with CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, who posted a small clip of the interview on his X account.
During the interview, Lt Gen Chaudhry was asked whether Pakistan can “still play a neutral role [in the US-Iran war] when Iran has targeted Saudi Arabia in the past, with the Makkah alliance, and now you have an Iranian ally — the Houthis — attacking Saudi Arabia”.
“Can Pakistan be a neutral broker?” Watson asked.
In response, Lt Gen Chaudhry said: “Pakistan has been exhibiting that we are a very honest broker … everything stems from honesty. We have been very clear on where Pakistan stands with all our partners”.
He recalled that when the US-Iran war began, Pakistan had openly condemned Israeli attacks on Iran and also condemned Iran’s retaliatory campaign in the Gulf.
“So we have been honest about that. We don’t mince our words; we have a stake in regional peace and stability. We tell all that nobody benefits from expanding this war,” he said.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan was committed to a “negotiated and peaceful” outcome to the conflict. He stressed that the country was doing “whatever is possible, whatever is necessary so that the gap narrows”.
“We want that the conflict should not expand horizontally or vertically.”
In a small clip of the interview released on Wednesday, Lt Gen Chaudhry was asked about deployment of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah defence alliance. In response, he said Pakistani troops were in Saudi Arabia, adding that they had been in the kingdom “for decades” and across multiple domains.
In a longer clip of the interview posted by state-run Pakistan TV on X on Friday, the military’s spokesperson said that such questions were dwelling on the operationalisation of the force.
“The Makkah accord, its actualisation and whatever effects it achieves, that will be purely defensive. That’s how the partners, that’s how the principles have agreed, that’s how it is going to manifest itself,” he said.
“How that will be done, which component will go there, how it will be employed, that’s for the operational commander to decide. And the operational details, because it’s a military conflict … no participating country starts disclosing how and where I am going to employ my forces,” he said.
“So how and when they will be employed, you will see [for] yourself,” he said. However, Lt Gen Chaudhry hastened to add that it would be “defensive in nature”.
He went on to say that under the United Nations charter, all countries had the “right to self-defence”.
“It is best, that rather than the threat [manifesting] into an actual operation or a military conflict, you ward it off through collective deterrence,” he said.
He went on to say that the signatories of the Makkah defence pact, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, had potent military and diplomatic capabilities.
“So, then anyone who is having some funny ideas against any other will hopefully think twice, thrice or multiple times. So, that stops something terrible [from] happening. That is how collective deterrence works,” he said.
The remarks by the military’s spokesperson come amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and as the US-Israeli war on Iran, in which Islamabad has been playing the role of a mediator, shows no signs of abating.
Meanwhile, the defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, signed on Aug 7, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empower its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
On Monday, the three countries agreed to the deployment of military forces and capabilities rapidly in the kingdom during an emergency meeting of alliance in Riyadh.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday signalled a cautious shift in its approach to the newly imposed US sanctions on Iran, saying it would adhere to “all applicable sanctions regimes” under international and domestic law, a formulation that goes beyond Islamabad’s earlier emphasis on international law and bilateral trade commitments with Tehran.
“Pakistan is a responsible member of the international community and adheres, and shall continue to adhere, to all applicable sanctions regimes in accordance with international and domestic laws,” Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said at the weekly media briefing.
The spokesperson did not explain what Islamabad considers “applicable” even though there is a fine difference between restrictions being legally applicable or practically applicable.
The shift is nevertheless significant because when the US announced its latest sanctions against Iran, the then FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had said: “About trade with Iran, Pakistan is following international law and our bilateral trade agreements with Iran.”
FO reiterates commitment to strategic ties with Washington, rules-based international system
Technically, the earlier formulation placed the emphasis on Pakistan’s international legal obligations and its bilateral commitments to Iran while the new one is broader, bringing “all applicable sanctions regimes” and “domestic law” into the framework.
That does not mean US unilateral sanctions automatically become binding international law for Pakistan, but it’s an acknowledgement that their practical reach can extend to Pakistani banks and companies because they operate within the international financial system and depend on access to dollar clearing, correspondent banking and financial messaging networks.
SWIFT, the international financial network, neither works as a sanctions authority nor does it decide whether transactions are lawful, but it says responsibility for compliance rests with the financial institutions handling transactions and the relevant national and international authorities.
SWIFT, which is incorporated under Belgian law, has previously disconnected Iranian banks to comply with European sanctions. This showed how sanctions adopted by a jurisdiction to which SWIFT is legally subject can affect a bank’s access to the international financial messaging network.
For Pakistan, the issue is therefore less about complying with US sanctions and more about the financial consequences of dealing with Iranian entities because US secondary sanctions can expose foreign financial institutions to restrictions on their access to the US financial system, including correspondent or payable through accounts. Washington has specifically warned of such exposure as part of its expanded Iran sanctions campaign.
Therefore, the new Foreign Office formulation appears to leave Islamabad room to take those risks into account without explicitly accepting the US unilateral sanction as legally binding.
Here the assertion about compliance with domestic laws comes into play as this potentially gives Islamabad regulatory space to restrict or limit Iran-related transactions on the basis of Pakistani banking, foreign exchange and AML requirements.
For instance, State Bank’s Pakistan-Iran trade mechanism expressly requires clarity that transactions with Iran do not involve entities subject to international sanctions. Due to this clause, the businesses have been generally cautious about transacting with Iran, even before the latest sanctions. However, the government has per se not announced a suspension of trade with Iran or any decision to join the US sanctions campaign.
The Foreign Office spokesman also sought to underline Pakistan’s relationship with Washington.
“Pakistan highly values its enduring and multifaceted strategic partnership with the United States and remains fully committed to further strengthening its long-standing diplomatic, economic and security ties with Washington,” Mr Khan said.
At the same time, Islamabad reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism and international law.
“Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to a rule-based international system rooted in multilateralism and international law,” Mr Khan said, adding that Islamabad remained in “constant and constructive communication with all relevant stakeholders”.
The balancing act comes at a time when Pakistan is trying to preserve its role as an intermediary between the US and Iran. Mr Khan said Pakistan would continue urging US and Iran to exercise restraint and settle their differences through diplomacy.
“Pakistan, being a mediator in communication between Iran and the United States, believes that it is important to continue urging both sides to exercise restraint, resolve outstanding issues through dialogue and diplomacy, and honour their respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he said.
Pakistan believes this remains the “only viable pathway” to resolving the conflict peacefully, he added.
NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had told him the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was “fully acceptable” to Tehran even today and that they were “ready to take it forward”.
The premier’s statement came after he held a “detailed” discussion with the Iranian president on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Earlier, a statement by the PM’s Office said that the premier stressed the importance of implementing the Islamabad MoU — a 14-point interim agreement signed between the US and Iran in June that gave a framework for ending the ongoing conflict — in the meeting.
Pakistan had also signed the agreement as a mediator. The conflict, however, has since continued with sporadic strikes and a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has maintained control over traffic through the strategic waterway.
After PM Shehbaz met with Pezeshkian, he was asked by the media about the possibility of any progress on de-escalating the situation in the Middle East.
The premier replied that Pakistan’s leadership united in its resolve to expedite the peace efforts under the Islamabad MoU.
He also mentioned the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab — two key waterways for the world’s oil fuel supply that have been affected by the conflict in the Middle East.
“The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, and the provocative activities taking place there, require brotherly and friendly countries to work together to reduce tensions,” he stressed.
“For this purpose, today I met the Iranian president, had a detailed meeting with him, and told him that restoring peace to the region is the need of the hour, a very important need,” he said.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan, as it had done in the past, would continue working for peace with Iran, which he described as a “brotherly” and neighbouring country.
“I told him that Pakistan’s leadership, whether military or political, will, God willing, work together and continue its efforts to bring peace to the region,” he said.
The premier further narrated that in his meeting with President Pezeshkian, the latter appreciated Pakistan’s efforts and reaffirmed Iran’s acceptance of the Islamabad MoU.
“The Iranian president said the Islamabad MoU is still fully acceptable to us and they are ready to take it forward,” he added.
The prime minister said Pakistan would continue working with friendly and brotherly countries to help reduce tensions and promote peace in the region.
Earlier, the PMO statement said PM Shehbaz expressed “deep concern over the prolonged conflict and emphasised the need for restraint, de-escalation, and sustained diplomatic engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region” in his meeting with Pezeshkian.
“He also underscored the importance of implementing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to continue playing sincere and constructive role in support of regional peace and stability,” the statement added.
The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation, with Pezeshkian appreciating Pakistan’s “principled diplomacy and concerted efforts for regional peace and security”, according to the statement.
“Underlining the importance of maintaining regular consultations and close coordination to address the prevailing challenges and seize the opportunities, the two sides agreed to work for regional peace, security, and prosperity,” it said.
Regarding bilateral ties, the two leaders reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and underscored the need to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest, it added.
“The Iranian President also underscored the enduring strength of Pakistan-Iran relations, rooted in shared history, culture, and faith, and reaffirmed Tehran’s strong desire to further deepen multifaceted cooperation,” it said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi were also present at the meeting, as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
During his interaction with the media, PM Shehbaz highlighted what he described as close cooperation between Pakistan’s political and military leadership, saying that this teamwork was contributing both to diplomatic efforts and economic stability.
Asked whether he had taken the Iranian president into confidence about the Makkah Defence Alliance, the prime minister said, “Yes, this was discussed, and we did inform him.”
Soon after the prime minister spoke, reporters asked Defence Minister Khawaja Asif whether Iran was on board on the Makkah accord.
He said Pakistan had discussed the agreement with Iran, and that it could join the alliance in the future.
The alliance’s member states, he said, were still in the process of setting up the accord’s secretariat, after which further details would be discussed.
PM Shehbaz and Pezeshkian had previously held a meeting in Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in August, during which they reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between both countries.
At the same time, PM Shehbaz had also stressed the importance of restraint and sustained diplomatic engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region amid the US-Iran conflict.
Thursday’s meeting with the Iranian president comes as Islamabad continues efforts to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table regarding the war in the Middle East.
Pezeshkian on Wednesday struck a defiant tone speaking at the UN for the first time since Washington and Israel launched an all-out war on his country, vowing Tehran would never “bend at the knee”. He made no reference to the talks to resolve the stalled war in his steely speech.
However, the Iranian side earlier this week indicated its willingness to return to dialogue with the US to de-escalate tensions. The flexibility on the issue was indicated by the Iranian side in a meeting between Pezeshkian and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during the latter’s visit to Tehran.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has remained engaged in efforts to keep the diplomatic channel open. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has used his contacts with the US administration, while Pakistani officials have made repeated visits to Tehran.
Diplomatic sources say Qatar is handling the immediate shuttle diplomacy between the US and Iran in New York, while Pakistan is working through a parallel channel with Tehran as regional efforts intensify to keep the latest diplomatic contacts from collapsing.
The distinction has emerged from reporting by US and international media on the renewed US-Iran contacts around the United Nations General Assembly, with Qatar and Pakistan both involved in efforts to keep communication open between Washington and Tehran.
PM Shehbaz is expected to address the UNGA on Friday.
Tehran on Monday thanked Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership for its efforts for regional peace and stability as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni in Tehran.
Later, he also held a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to Iran’s state-run Press TV.
According to Pakistan’s interior ministry, Naqvi and Momeni exchanged views on “Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations and the latest situation in the region”.
The statement said the Iranian minister thanked Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their efforts towards advancing peace in the region.
“We are grateful for Pakistan’s continuous efforts to establish peace in the region,” Momeni was cited as saying, adding that the visit from the Pakistani side was “beneficial”.
The ministers also reviewed progress on the ongoing cooperation between their interior ministries in various sectors, the statement added.
Naqvi, meanwhile, said that “bilateral relations will become even stronger” between Pakistan and Iran in the coming days.
Earlier, Iranian media outlets reported that Naqvi had arrived in Tehran and was received at the airport by Momeni.
Naqvi’s visit to Tehran comes as Pakistan continues its diplomatic efforts to rescue the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in July between the United States and Iran and intended to end the conflict that began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February.
Although Pakistan has been pivotal in facilitating talks and the interim ceasefire over the course of the conflict, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB cited the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei as saying on Saturday that Naqvi’s visit would “focus on bilateral relations, and there is no plan to exchange any specific messages regarding mediation”.
In July, Naqvi met with Momeni as the latter undertook an official visit to Pakistan, where the two reviewed bilateral relations, trade, regional developments and avenues for cooperation.
THE intensifying Yemeni Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia have triggered a debate over the possible activation of the Makkah accord. Statements and clarifications about possible and emerging scenarios are coming from all stakeholders.
But a recent incident in Saravan county in Sistan-Baluchestan, close to the Pakistan border, has also drawn attention to the Iran-Pakistan border region. This has broadened the debate over the Gulf region’s security and evolving geopolitics, and Pakistan’s role in it.
The incident was reported on Sept 12, when heavy fighting between Iranian security forces and unidentified gunmen spread across parts of Saravan, with reports of attacks on military vehicles and dozens of security personnel killed or wounded. Although the identity of the armed group is not yet clear, some analysts have attributed the attack to Jaish al-Adl or the People’s Fighters Front, an alliance of several groups, reportedly including Jaish al-Adl.
Since the start of the conflict in West Asia, Balochistan’s security dynamics have changed. The conflict has altered the operating environment in which an existing insurgency was already functioning.
The BLA and other allied groups have intensified their terrorist activities. The economic blockade announced by these groups has disrupted transportation and halted economic activity, particularly in the mineral sector. The closure of the frontier with Afghanistan and the partial closure of the border with Iran have contributed to the crisis. Taken together, these developments have affected the region’s security, internal political dynamics and geopolitical environment, bringing new risks to the province.
An angle that has largely been overlooked in the broader conflict theatre in this area is the state of affairs along the Pakistan-Iran border, which stretches for around 900 kilometres and where multiple violent religious and nationalist insurgent groups, as well as transnational criminal networks, operate. The border’s porous nature raises further security concerns. According to media reports, Pakistani security institutions had placed Balochistan on high alert because of the possible fallout from the Iran war.
The situation along the Pakistan-Iran border in the broader conflict has been largely overlooked.
The Jan 16, 2024, Iranian strike inside Pakistan, allegedly targeting Jaish al-Adl hideouts, followed by Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes on militant targets in Iran, changed the dynamics of their bilateral relations and prompted greater security cooperation. That cooperation has largely remained intact.
However, the recent Saravan attack has raised questions about how the changing regional environment could affect the future course of frontier security, particularly as Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan remains closed and Iran is an alternative, although very expensive, route for transnational trade.
For Iran, if the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has to concentrate its resources on US and Israeli strikes, the Strait of Hormuz and operations in the Gulf, Sistan-Baluchestan could become a peripheral theatre competing for Iranian security resources. Any escalation of tensions between Iran and Pakistan is in neither country’s interest. However, non-state actors always try to find an opportunity in evolving conflicts, especially when wider regional contexts provide them with more meaning and relevance in the conflict theatre.
The BLA and other insurgent groups appear to have viewed the war as an opportunity to escalate their operations, perhaps hoping that they could eventually be considered as potential proxies against Iran, as happened in Syria with America’s partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF was a coalition that included Kurdish armed groups such as the YPG and YPJ, along with Syrian Arab and Assyrian/ Christian elements.
The BLA has also issued a few statements supporting US strikes on Iran. Perhaps the BLA believes it can find meaning in the wider conflict in West Asia. Still, the BLA is missing a point in its calculation: the convergence of US, Pakistani, and Saudi geopolitical and strategic interests will persist in the coming years.
At the same time, Jaish al-Adl and several smaller groups have reportedly sought to broaden their activities against the Quds Force and IRGC. The group remained relatively quiet until Iranian security forces launched an operation against suspected terrorists in Saravan last August, reportedly apprehending several Jaish al-Adl members and killing one. During the operation, security forces said they recovered a significant arsenal of military hardware, including dozens of Kalashnikov automatic rifles, hand grenades, RPG-7 launchers, around 20 kilograms of C-4 military-grade explosives, 150 rounds of ammunition, and several Starlink satellite internet devices.
The Saravan operation reported last week has since been interpreted in multiple ways, mostly based on assumptions rather than established evidence. One popular theory links the attack to the intensification of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia.
The incident also occurred while Pakistan was diplomatically engaged with Iran. According to a media report, subsequently denied by Pakistan, Islamabad had conveyed a Saudi message to Tehran asking Iran to restrain the Houthis.
A popular perception in the border region of Balochistan is that if Iran can use the Houthis as a proxy against Saudi Arabia, it must also expect the possibility of a similar reaction from Saudi Arabia. The Sunni militias operating in Sistan-Baluchestan, from Jundullah to the People’s Fighters Front, are said to be proxies of foreign powers including the US and Saudi Arabia. That perception is nurturing new theories. A few of them are critical of Pakistan too.
Whether such perceptions translate into an actual Saudi strategy is another question. But perceptions themselves can influence the behaviour of armed groups and local actors, particularly in a region where terrorist networks, cross-border tribal connections and informal economic networks overlap.
Beyond all the theories surrounding the strategic calculus of West Asia and the prospects of Saudi proxies emerging along the Pakistan-Iran border, one fact remains clear: Pakistan cannot afford further chaos in the border region of Balochistan. Any expansion of the regional conflict in an already fragile security environment could make the country’s internal security dynamics considerably more complex.
• Bangladesh assumes presidency as General Assembly formally opens in New York • Trump to speak on opening day; PM Shehbaz’s speech on 25th; Pezeshkian’s attendance ‘not yet confirmed’ • Renewal on the cards as tenure of panel monitoring Iran sanctions expires during UNGA session
WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is due to arrive in New York later this month for the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to highlight Pakistan’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing US-Iran war.
PM Shehbaz is slated to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept 25, where the Gulf conflict is expected to overshadow much of the high-level debate.
The official theme of the 81st session is ‘Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All’, and the UNGA debate is expected to run from Sept 22 to 26, with a final sitting on Sept 28.
However, ongoing fighting between Washington and Tehran is expected to feature prominently in discussions among world leaders, particularly over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, regional stability and the possibility of finding a diplomatic way out of the confrontation.
The participation of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also emerging as a key question ahead of the high-level week.
Iran is listed on the tentative speakers’ schedule as the fifth speaker on Sept 23, the second day of the UNGA debate, but a final decision on whether he will travel to New York or not, has not yet been made.
Iranian officials have indicated that Tehran is still assessing the level of participation and attendance, citing what they describe as “illegal conditions” imposed by Washington on the Iranian delegation’s travel and attendance.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept 22, the opening day of the high-level debate, following Brazil, which traditionally opens the general debate.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to attend reception hosted by President Trump on the same day.
Israel, the other party to the conflict, is scheduled to speak on Sept 24, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu representing his country.
India, meanwhile, is only sending its foreign minister, who is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept 26.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan is expected to use the forum of the UN General Assembly to underline its position that the conflict should be resolved through negotiations rather than prolonged military confrontation.
The prime minister is also expected to highlight Islamabad’s contacts with countries involved in efforts to de-escalate the situation.
The Iranian issue is already occupying a prominent place on the UN agenda ahead of the arrival of world leaders.
The Security Council is scheduled to vote on Sept 17 on renewing the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring sanctions on Iran. The panel’s mandate expires on Sept 26, during the General Assembly’s high-level week.
The proposed renewal is expected to produce another confrontation between the United States and its Western allies on one side and Russia and China on the other.
Moscow and Beijing have opposed continuation of the monitoring mechanism, arguing that the Security Council no longer has the authority to pursue the matter in its present form.
The dispute is linked to the restoration of UN sanctions on Iran under the “snapback” mechanism after Britain, France and Germany concluded last year that Tehran was not complying with its obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement. Iran has rejected allegations that it is seeking nuclear weapons.
The Sept 17 vote will therefore come just days before heads of government begin arriving for the General Assembly and could further sharpen the diplomatic divisions surrounding Iran.
For Pakistan, the situation carries additional urgency because of its geographical proximity to the conflict and its economic and security interests in the Gulf region.
The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior members of the government, and is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
The UN session formally opened on Wednesday, with Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman assuming the presidency of the 81st General Assembly. Mr Rahman has placed peace and security, restoration of trust in multilateral institutions and UN reform among the priorities of his presidency.
The session also comes ahead of a major change in the UN hierarchy, as it would be the last for current Secretary General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on Dec 31, 2026.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said water was the “lifeblood” of the region and must never be weaponised, as he addressed a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan.
Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of States (CHS) meeting in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, the premier said the region cannot “realise its full potential without lasting peace”.
Without naming India directly, he highlighted the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and demanded that it be honoured.
“Water is the lifeblood of our region. It sustains millions of lives, nourishes our land and secures the very future of our coming generations,” he noted.
He stressed that it “must never be weaponised; it cannot be used as an instrument of coercion, nor can it ever be exploited for political leverage”.
“The treaties governing our shared waters are solemn, binding international commitments. They are not matters of political convenience to be cast aside at your will. They must be honoured unconditionally, in both letter and spirit.”
In a later statement on X, the premier said he was honoured to address the ceremony as Pakistan assumed chairmanship of the SCO, reiterating that water “is the lifeblood of our region” and must never be weaponised by any state.
He also noted that Pakistan made “immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism”, and added that Pakistan will conduct its chairmanship of the body under the theme ‘Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity’.
“I am confident that the SCO will continue to grow from strength to strength and bring meaningful improvements to the lives of its more than 3 billion people,” he writes.
The prime minister’s speech comes a day after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ordered India to uphold the IWT with Pakistan and suspend work on a hydro project in occupied Kashmir.
The Hague-based court backed Pakistan’s stance, declaring that the IWT between the two countries remained fully in force, as India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement.
Water and the IWT remain a contentious issue between India and Pakistan, following New Delhi’s unilateral abeyance of the accord in April last year — a move that was followed by a brief military conflict between the two sides in May 2025.
‘Terrorism one of the gravest threats’
Speaking on the issue of terrorism, PM Shehbaz said it remained “one of the gravest threats that has affected our entire region in its various forms and manifestations”.
As chair of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), Pakistan has “worked actively to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation”, he highlighted.
“Few nations have fought against the scourge of terrorism as resolutely and valiantly as Pakistan. In the past two and a half decades, we have sacrificed more than 90,000 lives and endured economic losses of over $150 billion in combatting terrorism.”
Pakistan sought a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, he said, adding: “But let there be no ambiguity; so long as terrorists continue to use Afghan territory to shed the blood of innocent Pakistanis and other nations, lasting peace will remain beyond our reach.”
In his speech, the prime minister also mentioned Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the US-Iran war and laid out the country’s plan as it assumed the SCO CHS chair.
PM Shehbaz was welcomed by the Kyrgyz president upon his arrival at the summit’s venue on Tuesday, and later posed with other world leaders for a group photo.
Leaders from China, Iran, Turkiye, Russia, and India were also in Kyrgyzstan for the two-day summit. The regional bloc, which also includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
A video clip shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) showed PM Shehbaz speaking to China’s President Xi Jinping. He could also be seen sitting together with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The premier also held informal meetings with the presidents of Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Belarus.
Pakistan has assumed the chairmanship of the SCO CHS for 2026–27, with next year’s summit to be hosted by Islamabad.
“As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO, we are proposing an excellent plan that will prioritise key sectors, including IT and AI, energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports,” PM Shehbaz said during his address.
As part of that plan, Pakistan proposed establishing an SCO framework for sovereign AI infrastructure and governance to “promote responsible and inclusive AI development and to also ensure that no member state is left behind”.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s SCO chairmanship will be pursued under the theme, ‘Turning vision into action, connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity’.
“We undertake this responsibility with humility, hope and abiding faith that connectivity will bring our peoples closer, innovation will open new doors of opportunity, and shared prosperity will reach every home,” the premier said.
He called for turning the SCO vision into action and its promises into progress.
PM Shehbaz said: “Let us […] move forward together with the resolve that, in a time of uncertainty, history will record the SCO as having chosen cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, and hope over fear.
“Let history record that the SCO did not merely witness a changing world; we shaped it together.”
The premier noted that the SCO region was inhabited by over 3bn people and blessed with abundant natural resources. “This extraordinary potential also places upon us SCO leaders an extraordinary responsibility to shape a better future for our peoples.”
He recalled that he has long advocated for regional connectivity as the “key to our prosperity”.
“Today, connectivity is no longer a choice; it is a strategic imperative. The regional crisis has also proven that diversified transport networks, secure energy corridors and resilient supply chains are indispensable to our collective security.”
PM Shehbaz said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) continued to “serve as a gateway, linking the regional economies to the Arabian Sea”.
He affirmed that Islamabad remained committed to advancing existing trans-regional railway projects, road connectivity initiatives and regional energy projects.
The prime minister called for ensuring the implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, adding that the establishment of the SCO Development Bank would be a “critical step” in this regard.
As the permanent chair of the Special Working Group of the SCO on Poverty Reduction, Pakistan will continue to strengthen social protection and promote inclusive and sustainable development across the SCO region, he pledged.
‘Intensifying geopolitical tensions’
The premier noted that today’s global landscape “is marked by intensifying geopolitical tensions, fragmenting global economy, escalating climate crises and unprecedented technological transformation”.
“In such a complex environment, the SCO represents our collective resolve to navigate through these enormous challenges together and deliver peace, security and prosperity to our peoples,” he observed.
The prime minister affirmed that Pakistan “consistently upholds and respects the core principles of both the UN and SCO charters”.
“We remain committed to resolving disputes peacefully through international law, adhering strictly to the guidelines of the SCO charter.”
He highlighted that in line with this spirit, Islamabad “staunchly advocated peace when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an SCO member state was violated earlier this year, triggering a major regional crisis”.
PM Shehbaz then noted that Pakistan and the international community have “borne a heavy economic cost” as the “closure of critical energy supply routes” disrupted the global economy, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.
“In these challenging times, Pakistan has consistently acted as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator,” he affirmed.
He recalled that Islamabad’s “sustained diplomatic efforts culminated in the signing of the landmark Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” in June, terming the document a “critical step towards regional de-escalation and the restoration of peace”.
The premier noted that peace-building efforts were continuing and extended his “deepest gratitude to the brotherly and friendly countries, many of whom are represented here today, for their unwavering support throughout this endeavour”.
“We firmly believe that the Islamabad MoU offers the most viable and enduring pathway to lasting peace in the region.”
The 14-point MoU, signed in June, provided a framework for ending the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. It was a result of mediation efforts spearheaded by Pakistan and others.
Besides signing the Islamabad MoU as the mediator, Pakistan had also brokered a ceasefire between the US and Iran in April.
The April ceasefire put an end to the most intense fighting, but sporadic attacks, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, have dimmed the prospects of a final peace agreement.
At the SCO summit, the prime minister also mentioned the signing of the trilateral defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye last month, named the “Makkah Defence Alliance”.
He reiterated that the pact was “fundamentally defensive in nature and is neither directed against any state nor intended to create any confrontation or division whatsoever”.
He emphasised that while Pakistan has always strived to strengthen multilateralism, “multilateral organisations must be empowered to translate aspirations into action”.
“The plight of the innocent people of Gaza and West Bank continues unabated, causing unimaginable suffering. Palestinian mothers endure the profound grief of mourning their children, families remain torn apart, and entire generations continue to live under a perpetual shadow of fear, deprivation and gross injustice.”
The premier called upon the international community to honour its commitment to “help the Palestinian people, alongside all other oppressed nations, secure their fundamental right to self-determination”.
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes killed five people around Gaza City, a local hospital and rescuers said. Despite a US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, violence has not halted in the Gaza Strip, with Israel continuing to target Palestinians it claims are fighters.
At the outset of his speech, PM Shehbaz congratulated the Kyrgyz Republic on the completion of its “successful SCO chairmanship and for making impressive contributions to further advance practical cooperation among the SCO members”.
The prime minister also felicitated the leadership and people of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan for their respective independence days.
The premier described the gathering as “historic” and extended his gratitude to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Japarov and his team for their hospitality and “excellent arrangements” made for the summit.
“Guided by the Shanghai spirit, Pakistan takes great pride in being part of the SCO, as we celebrate 25 years of this remarkable journey, a milestone for which I congratulate all fellow members,” PM Shehbaz told the summit.
“From a tender sapling, the SCO has grown into a towering tree, providing the shade of security and stability for all of us.”
Lahore named SCO’s Tourism and Culture Capital for 2026-27
The city of Lahore has been named the Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27 by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The title of Tourism and Cultural Capital has been rotated annually among SCO member states since 2022, and the designation serves to highlight the prominence of a city that embodies the cultural heritage of the country that takes over the rotating presidency of the organisation.
The designation is designed to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among the member states.
Cities that have held the title in the past include Varanasi, India (2022-23), Almaty, Kazakhstan (2023-24), Qingdao, China (2024-25) and Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan (2025-26).
The decision to designate Lahore as the tourism and cultural capital was taken in April this year, when the heads of tourism administrations of SCO member states met in Bishkek.
UN urgently in need of reform, PM tells SCO Plus summit
PM Shehbaz also addressed the SCO Plus summit, an expanded format of the regional bloc.
The prime minister noted that the United Nations was established to “fulfil the universal dream of ending all wars and building enduring peace”.
Stressing that Pakistan has remained fully committed to the UN Charter in the past eight decades, he said: “We see the rise of a multipolar world as an opportunity to build a more equitable, democratic and just international system.
“But today, the UN is urgently in need of reform. It must become more accountable and responsive.”
As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Pakistan has been “actively contributing to global peacemaking over the past two years”, PM Shehbaz highlighted.
He noted that these efforts culminated in the signing of the Islamabad MoU, stressing that it offers a “widely accepted basis for all parties to pursue peace through dialogue and diplomacy”.
Speaking about the Makkah defence pact, PM Shehbaz said the agreement “has further strengthened the prospect for peace in the region by sending a message of unity and common resolve, as well as to promote progress and prosperity in the region”.
He reiterated his concerns over the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, terming it “deeply troubling”. The premier demanded that the international community “act decisively and now to end the suffering of innocent Palestinian people and uphold their inalienable right to self-determination”.
“The same rights must also be granted to all other oppressed nations around the globe.”
The premier reiterated his remarks about the water issue in his address to the SCO Plus Summit.
Speaking on terrorism, he affirmed Pakistan’s commitment to battling the “three evils of terrorism: separatism, terrorism and religious extremism” under the SCO’s RATS.
“We believe that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, must be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms,” he asserted.
The prime minister stressed the need for the SCO to “deliver tangible dividends to its peoples”.
“I reaffirm Pakistan’s solemn resolve and commitment to realise the true potential of the SCO. In our efforts to elevate the SCO to even greater heights, we seek the kind cooperation of SCO member states, as well as our valued SCO Plus family.”
He then invited the participants to the next edition of the SCO Plus summit set to be held in Islamabad.
The government later said that PM Shehbaz met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the summit.
PM pledges to boost cooperation with Belarus
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Shehbaz met Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, and both leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of bilateral ties and cooperation across the political, trade, and economic spheres, among others.
In a statement posted on X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that both leaders pledged to boost cooperation in trade, industry, agriculture, IT and vocational training as priority sectors, with PM Shehbaz extending an invitation to Lukashenko to once again visit Pakistan.
Lukashenko visited Pakistan in 2024, with PM Shehbaz visiting Belarus last year.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment and resolve to elevate the long-standing friendly relations between Pakistan and Belarus to new heights,” the statement read.
Lahore named SCO’s Tourism and Culture Capital for 2026-27
The city of Lahore has been named the Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27 by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The title of Tourism and Cultural Capital has been rotated annually among SCO member states since 2022, and the designation serves to highlight the prominence of a city that embodies the cultural heritage of the country that takes over the rotating presidency of the organisation.
The designation is designed to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among the member states.
Cities that have held the title in the past include Varanasi, India (2022-23), Almaty, Kazakhstan (2023-24), Qingdao, China (2024-25) and Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan (2025-26).
The decision to designate Lahore as the tourism and cultural capital was taken in April this year, when the heads of tourism administrations of SCO member states met in Bishkek.
Dar meets counterparts from Iran, China, others
On the sidelines of the twin SCO summits, DPM Dar interacted with the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Belarus and Armenia, among other leaders.
The Foreign Office (FO) shared pictures of Dar, Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Kazakh FM Yermek Kosherbayev having a “warm and cordial interaction”.
Earlier in the day, Dar, who arrived in Bishkek a day ago to join PM Shehbaz, had a “warm exchange” with Iran’s Araghchi.
Dar stressed that the “sincere implementation” of the Islamabad MoU was the only way forward amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to FO.
Describing the meeting as a “warm exchange”, FO said the two ministers exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional developments and reaffirmed the importance of continued engagement.
“The DPM underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to promoting peace and stability in the region, and that sincere implementation by both parties to the conflict of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding of June 2026 remains the only way forward,” FO said in a statement on X.
A day ago, PM Shehbaz had met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit in Bishkek and underscored the need to build on the understandings reached under the Islamabad MoU.
Dar “held a warm and cordial exchange” with China’s FM Wang Yi, FO said. Both leaders reaffirmed the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China.
They also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session this month in New York and the ongoing process for the election of the next UN secretary-general.
DPM Dar also met with the director of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın.
“The two sides exchanged views on regional developments and matters of mutual interest, including the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and the inaugural meeting of its Strategic Political and Defence Committee, as well as recent developments in the region,” FO said.
Dar underscored the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement for regional peace, security and stability.
The deputy premier and his Russian counterpart Alexei Overchuk had a “productive exchange of views on bilateral relations”, FO said.
They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the close Pakistan–Russia partnership, enhancing cooperation, and maintaining high-level engagement between the two sides. They also discussed regional and international developments of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting on Monday, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
PM Shehbaz arrived in Bishkek earlier today on a three-day official visit from Aug 31 to Sep 2, at the invitation of President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.
The leaders of China, Iran, Turkiye, Russia, and India were in Kyrgyzstan for the two-day SCO summit. The regional bloc, which also includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Shehbaz and Pezeshkian held a “warm and cordial” meeting, during which they reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between both countries, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
They emphasised the need to further strengthen bilateral relations across all areas of mutual cooperation, in line with decisions taken during the visit of President Pezeshkian to Pakistan in June this year.
The leaders reviewed ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts, as well as exchanged views on the evolving regional situation.
While reaffirming that Pakistan would continue its sincere efforts for regional peacebuilding, PM Shehbaz said that the recent visit of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to Tehran and his “constructive engagements augured well”, the PMO noted.
The premier stressed the importance of restraint and sustained diplomatic engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
He also underscored the need to build on the understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the United States and Iran on June 18.
PM Shehbaz noted the MoU “offered the only viable pathway towards enduring peace in the region”.
On his part, President Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan’s “consistent diplomatic efforts for regional peace and security”, according to PMO.
He also underscored the enduring strength of Pakistan-Iran relations, rooted in centuries of shared history, culture, and faith and reaffirmed Tehran’s strong desire to further deepen cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
The president reiterated the need to forge unity among the Muslim community to deal with contemporary challenges.
PM Shehbaz extended an invitation to President Pezeshkian to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience.
The Iranian president also invited the prime minister to the forthcoming summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in Tehran in December 2026.
The meeting was attended by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch, PMO said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other high officials were also present.
Shehbaz meets Uzbek president
In a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed the importance of timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation, the PMO said.
According to the PMO, the meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek. Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communications Minister Aleem Khan and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar were also present.
“The prime minister stressed the importance of timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation,” it said.
PM Shehbaz reiterated the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029 and called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, greater business-to-business engagement and promotion of mutually beneficial joint ventures, the PMO added.
While highlighting regional connectivity as a shared strategic priority, the prime minister underscored the transformative potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway in linking Central and South Asia and facilitating Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistan’s seaports.
“He emphasised early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater utilisation of existing multimodal transport corridors,” the PMO said, adding that “the prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure.”
During the meeting, the two sides discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defence and security.
“The prime minister also supported enhanced air connectivity, including progress towards direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.”
The prime minister appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed the desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development, the PMO stated.
“PM Shehbaz also emphasised continued cooperation within ECO and other multilateral forums.”
“The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its strategic partnership with Uzbekistan and translating the excellent political relationship into tangible economic benefits for the peoples of both countries,” the PMO concluded.
PM arrives in Kyrgyzstan
Adylbek Kasymaliev, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, welcomed PM Shehbaz upon his arrival at Manas International Airport, the government’s official account on social media platform X stated.
Announcing the premier’s departure, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said he would address the SCO summit and “present Pakistan’s stance on various regional and global issues”.
It added that Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister of Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar were accompanying PM Shehbaz.
During the visit, Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the SCO’s Council of Heads of State for 2026–27, with next year’s CHS summit to be hosted by Islamabad.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office had issued a statement on PM Shehbaz’s visit, saying that it would include participation in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, as well as bilateral engagements in the Kyrgyz Republic.
“During his stay in Bishkek, the prime minister will participate in the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State and the SCO Plus Summit,” the statement said.
“The prime minister will also assume Pakistan’s chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-2027,” it said, adding that he would also hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of the participating countries on the sidelines.
PM Shehbaz will also participate in the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on Aug 31, the statement said.
It added that on Sept 2, the prime minister would hold bilateral discussions with the Kyrgyz president on the “entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations”.
“The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges,” it said.
“The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora,” it added.
“Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan enjoy warm and fraternal relations, rooted in shared history, faith and cultural affinity, as well as common aspirations for peace, connectivity and prosperity in Central and South Asia,” the FO said.
“The forthcoming visit will provide an important opportunity to consolidate the momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, translate political goodwill into enhanced practical cooperation, and further strengthen the enduring partnership between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic,” the statement concluded.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar will join the Pakistani delegation in Bishkek for the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting and the SCO Plus Summit, FO said in a separate update.
Dar will accompany PM Shehbaz during his engagements in Bishkek, including bilateral discussions with President Sadyr Zhaparov on 2 September on Pakistan–Kyrgyzstan relations and ways to further strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday adopted a measured position on the US campaign of economic pressure against Iran, stressing that it would comply with international law and hoped that economic issues would eventually form part of a wider settlement of the US-Iran conflict.
“About trade with Iran, Pakistan is following international law, and our bilateral trade agreements with Iran,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at the weekly media briefing. “As such, our trade remains in consonance with our obligations.”
The carefully-worded position came two days after the US announced ‘Operation Economic Outcast’, an intensified sanctions campaign aimed at economically strangulating Iran to force it to capitulate after months of military confrontation.
The campaign announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expands the risk of secondary sanctions to sectors including shipping, aviation, technology, gold and digital assets. Washington has warned that countries and companies continuing dealings with Iran could face exclusion from the US financial system.
FO insists assurances alone won’t do; talks with Kabul hinge on verifiable action against terror outfits
Islamabad, however, avoided directly confronting the US measures, instead anchoring its position in international law and its existing agreements with Tehran.
Pakistan’s formulation also left room for the issue to be addressed through the mediation process it has been pursuing between Washington and Tehran.
“Pakistan hopes that, as part of a wider settlement of the US-Iran standoff, all economic issues will also be settled in the long run, as they form an important part of a viable settlement,” Mr Andrabi said.
“Pakistan remains engaged in its mediatory role in this regard.”
The position reflects the difficult balance facing Islamabad. While US is an important economic partner for Pakistan, Iran is a neighbouring country with strong connections with a segment of its population.
Moreover, the FO’s stance closely echoed the positions taken by China and Qatar on the US move. China had said that its trade with Iran was in the framework of “international law”, while Qatar described the sanctions as unilateral and emphasized on dialogue and a “regional solution”.
The FO spokeperson was more forthcoming about the signs of movement on the Strait of Hormuz, saying Pakistan remained hopeful that recent diplomatic activity could generate momentum towards reopening the vital waterway.
“During the visit of the Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, there were indeed renewed efforts for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz,” Mr Andrabi said. “So, we remain positive that some momentum will be generated towards this important aspect.”
The strait has remained at the centre of the wider US-Iran standoff since the breakdown of the Islamabad MoU, which had envisaged its reopening as part of a broader cessation of hostilities and subsequent negotiations.
Pakistan’s renewed engagement came as discussions between Iran, Oman and Qatar on arrangements for navigation through the waterway appeared to enter their final leg.
Mr Andrabi cautioned, however, that the final decision rested with Washington and Tehran.
The Foreign Office also pushed back against reports that Field Marshal Asim Munir had travelled to Tehran “as an envoy of the US president or at Washington’s request”.
“I have very categorically stated that reports alluding to his visit to Iran as an envoy of the US President or at the US behest are quite misleading,” Mr Andrabi said. “So, these reports are not factually correct.”
He said the visit should, instead, be viewed within the context of Islamabad’s own mediation efforts.
“This visit was purely in the context and backdrop of Pakistan’s ongoing role as a mediator, and this is, in essence, how it should be reflected,” he said.
Afghanistan
The FO spokesperson also said that dialogue with Afghanistan remains contingent on definitive action against terrorism, as it made clear that mere assurances from Kabul would not be enough and any bilateral mechanism must produce tangible and verifiable results against groups operating from Afghan soil.
Mr Andrabi said Pakistan had noted Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani’s proposal for a dedicated mechanism to address contentious issues and remained open to state-level engagement, but stressed that Islamabad had heard assurances before without seeing them translated into effective action.
“However, the sustainability of any mechanism will depend on tangible actions rather than mere assurances,” Mr Andrabi said.
He said Kabul would have to ensure that Afghan territory was not used for attacks against Pakistan and honour its international commitments, including those under the Doha framework. In particular, he named the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army as groups whose activities from Afghan territory remained a major concern for Islamabad.
“We remain ready for institutional coordination, provided it results in tangible and verifiable counter-terrorism measures and effective border management,” he said.
The Pakistani response came after Mr Haqqani proposed a dedicated bilateral coordination mechanism with Pakistan, saying Afghan authorities were prepared to cooperate on information-sharing, border management and the movement of militants. He also suggested a separate mechanism for trade, transit and refugee issues, as prolonged border restrictions have disrupted commercial activity between the two countries.
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday termed claims that Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Iran as an “envoy” of the United States “misleading and factually incorrect”.
The army chief met the Iranian leadership during his day-long visit to Tehran on August 24, undertaken as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to end the stalemate in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had also accompanied him.
Addressing a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi noted that the discussions held during CDF Munir’s visit to Tehran “focused on regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate and exploring a negotiated settlement to restore peace and stability”.
“I will also highlight that claims by certain quarters that the COAS and CDF visited Iran as envoy of President Trump or the US are misleading and factually incorrect, as his visit was undertaken purely in the context and backdrop of Pakistan’s role as a mediator,” he said.
Andrabi asserted that the visit underscored Islamabad’s “sincere and constructive role in bridging the difference between Washington and Tehran”. He noted that the Iranian leadership appreciated Pakistan’s efforts towards de-escalation and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
He stressed that Pakistan “remains engaged alongside our brotherly countries in sincere and concerted efforts towards resolving the crises in the Middle East and Gulf and with respect to the standoff between the US and Iran”.
“Pakistan will continue to actively pursue diplomatic engagement and support all sincere efforts aimed at reviving the peace talks and achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the conflict,” he said.
Asked for a comment on the recent US plans for expansion of sanctions on countries doing business with Iran, Andrabi said Pakistan was “following international law and our bilateral trade agreements with Iran”.
“As such, our trade remains in consonance with our obligations,” he affirmed.
Asked about the US’s “economic war” against Iran, Andrabi expressed Islamabad’s hope that “all economic issues will also be settled in the long run” as part of a wider settlement of the US-Iran standoff.
Besides the CDF’s visit, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also remained engaged with his counterparts on regional developments, Andrabi pointed out. He added that over the past two weeks, Dar spoke with Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan three times.
A Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran in mid-June provided for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and left it up to Tehran and Muscat “to define the future administration and maritime services” in the waterway, in discussion with Gulf states and in line with international law.
But the deal, which was supposed to pave the way for talks on permanently ending the war, has since fallen apart.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi visited Tehran on Tuesday, where he discussed a framework agreement that would establish a “temporary corridor” for shipping and a project to clear mines in the strait.
Although there has been no clear breakthrough yet, and fundamental differences persist between Iran and the US, the latest diplomatic activity has brought the political and technical dimensions of the dispute back into focus.
The Iranian position, nevertheless, remains conditional as it continues to regard the Islamabad MoU as the appropriate framework, but wants Washington to demonstrate through concrete action that it is prepared to honour its commitments.
‘Tangible actions’ needed from Kabul rather than mere assurances: FO
Responding to a query on Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani’s reported remarks on a proposed security mechanism, Andrabi said: “Pakistan notes the proposal by the interim Afghan government’s interior minister for a dedicated mechanism to address contentious issues.
“We remain open to state-level dialogue. However, the sustainability of any mechanism will depend on tangible actions rather than mere assurances.”
The FO spokesperson emphasised that for any dialogue to take place, the Afghan Taliban must ensure that Afghan soil is not used to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan.
“Kabul must honour its international commitments, including those under the Doha framework and ensure that Afghan soil is not used by hostile proxies, particularly the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army, against Pakistan,” he said.
Andrabi reiterated that Islamabad remained ready for “institutional coordination provided it results in tangible and verifiable counterterrorism measures and effective border management”.
Asked about rumours that Pakistan had informed China’s special envoy to Afghanistan that it did not desire to hold further negotiations, the FO official said he was not aware of “any such words exchanged between our side and the Chinese envoy”.
He also “categorically denied” the Afghan Taliban’s claim that linked Pakistan to recent developments in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan. He further denied that Pakistan was forming any committee regarding Afghanistan.
On Pakistan’s UN envoy calling Afghan Taliban proxies, Andrabi said: “When their activities are at the behest of a certain neighbouring country to promote terrorism in Pakistan, to promote terrorism by Fitnah Al Hind and Fitnah Al Khwarij, then, unfortunately, we will have to call them proxies, as in doing so, they are not acting in their own interest.”
He observed that “destabilising Pakistan or killing Pakistanis ought not to be the interest of the Afghan regime”.
In the past few years, Islamabad has repeatedlyurged the Taliban administration in Kabul to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil that are used for attacks in Pakistan. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.
FO rejects former Indian defence chief’s claims regarding 2025 conflict
Replying to another question, the FO spokesperson rubbished claims made by India’s ex-defence chief, Anil Chauhan, that an Indian Harop drone accidentally struck Kirana Hills near Sargodha during the May 2025 conflict after running critically low on fuel.
“We categorically reject the self-contradictory and retrospective claims made by the former Indian chief of defence staff regarding Kirana Hills,” Andrabi maintained.
He asserted that during the conflict, “Pakistan’s layered air defence network effectively thwarted India’s military objectives, while Pakistan’s subsequent response under Operation Bunyanum Marsoos demonstrated our ability to impose cost across the conflict spectrum”.
“No strategic asset or sensitive infrastructure was compromised in Pakistan. Attempts to retrospectively recast these events through selective narrative or dramatised production cannot alter the verifiable operational record of May 2025,” he said.
The FO spokesperson said that history is “established by facts and evidence, not by Bollywood-style retrospective claims”.
“These post-facto punches, if I may call them, 16 or 17 months after the war would be better directed at their faces,” he added.
Regarding a question about the removal of the structures outside Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, Andrabi said Islamabad has “launched a strong protest” and termed the act a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The FO spokesperson noted that Indian “authorities used heavy machinery to demolish sheds, benches, and a walkway adjacent to the consular section” of the High Commission. He added that the facility was used by those seeking consular assistance and visas.
He pointed out that Indian actions against Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi were initiated “without prior notice, and therefore cannot be equated with the actions here in Islamabad”.
“Any attempt to link this incident to Islamabad’s ongoing non-discriminatory anti-encroachment drive in the Diplomatic Enclave is misleading,” Andrabi stated, noting that a notification was given to the Indian side but it “failed to remove such structures”.
He stressed that the drive “targets unauthorised structures outside all diplomatic missions, not just India, in the Diplomatic Enclave”.
Asked about a US panel’s concerns over the visit of the chief of Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Andrabi refrained from commenting on his US trip.
However, he noted that RSS and “its affiliates and cadres have been fomenting anti-Muslim hatred in India”.
“We hope that organisations and individuals with a conscience in the US will take up these issues with the leader of the RSS if he is visiting the US. I have no particular comment to make on his US visit per se.”
Makkah pact an ‘evolving security architecture’
Asked about Bangladesh’s interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, the FO spokesperson said: “As an evolving security architecture, the MJDA remains open to countries who share their commitments to collective obligations and common security interests.”
The joint defence agreement signed on August 7 aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
Andrabi stressed that the pact is a “defensive framework aimed at safeguarding peace and promoting regional stability”.
He added that any formal request by another country to join the pact will be considered in consultation with Riyadh and Ankara.
“The operationalisation of the MJDA, however, remains at an early stage,” he said.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir met Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran on Monday during his visit to the Iranian capital, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
The CDF and interior minister reached Tehran earlier today, Iranian media reported, after Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the visit “as part of Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability”.
According to the Iranian broadcaster, Ghalibaf reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to upholding the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, while criticising the United States for failing to honour its commitments. He said this approach had “hindered regional stability and further eroded trust in Washington”.
Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan would continue its efforts to help restore stability in the region, Press TV reported.
Later, Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, expressed his distrust of Washington during a meeting with Field Marshal Munir, according to the Fars news agency.
“America must change its behaviour and take practical actions regarding the implementation of the conditions of the agreement,” Rezaei was quoted as saying by Fars.
Iranian news agency ISNA has also published photographs of a meeting between Field Marshal Munir and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Earlier today, CDF Munir and Naqvi met with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, state media in Pakistan reported.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said that the visit undertaken by CDF Munir and Naqvi was taking place as bilateral ties between Islamabad and Tehran “reach one of their strongest stages”, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Baqaei added that the Pakistani delegation’s visit was unrelated to the visit of Oman’s foreign minister, who is expected to arrive today. He noted that “both visits will address regional security issues”.
ISPR said CDF Munir will “focus on promoting efforts towards peaceful, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East” during the visit.
Baqaei on Sunday said CDF Munir was expected to travel to Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace and security to the region.
He said CDF Munir would lead an official delegation and the “visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Iran and Pakistan and to continue Pakistan’s good offices in support of peace and security in the region”.
During the visit, CDF Munir would meet and hold talks with senior officials Iran, Baqaei added.
The United States and Israel triggered the Middle East war with a massive wave of strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian retaliation across the region.
An April 8 ceasefire ended nearly 40 days of intense bombardment, but control over the Strait of Hormuz soon emerged as a key flashpoint in the conflict.
Iran has controlled the vital energy conduit since the war began. Reopening the strait, vital for global oil and gas supplies, has become a US priority, but Tehran insists the waterway will remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, removes oil sanctions and unfreezes Iranian assets abroad.
Pakistan has played a key role in efforts to halt war between Iran and the United States, brokering a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in June, but peace negotiations currently appear stalled.
Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would ramp up economic pressure on Iran “on an unprecedented scale”.
Washington has urged other governments, including Beijing, to join efforts to further isolate Iran’s economy.
The US is expected to announce details related to the planned sanctions on Monday, which US officials have said would be “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran.
Enemies will think twice because an attack on one country could drag in all three
Takes defense into their own hands as a backup without snubbing the US or leaning towards China.
One-on-one rivalries with Iran converted to a three-front headache for Tehran
Combines naval power to keep oil shipments and trade routes safe
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, represents a watershed moment in the evolving security order of the Middle East. By affirming the collective defense principle that an armed attack against one state will be treated as an attack against all three, the pact has introduced a new bout of debate on the future of the regional order in the Middle East. Early commentary has interpreted the agreement as a departure from the US-led security order and a formal arrival of a “Muslim NATO,” driven by the integration of the Muslim world’s most politically influential and militarily capable states. Rather than signaling a complete geopolitical rupture, however, the agreement represents a pragmatic attempt by regional and regionally adjacent states to hedge against growing strategic uncertainty.
From dependence towards regional self-help
For now, the US remains central to the regional security order across the Middle East. Its forward military bases, integrated air defense networks, real-time intelligence capabilities, and logistical depth cannot be replaced by any other great power. Even the three signatories to the Makkah Agreement maintain vital security ties with Washington: Saudi Arabia remains dependent on the American defense technology and seeks a civil nuclear deal with the US; Turkey is a NATO member hosting US nuclear weapons on its territory; and Pakistan retains long-standing military cooperation with the US, while coordinating closely with the US Central Command across Middle East and Central Asia.
The persistence of American military power has not, however, addressed growing regional uncertainty regarding the predictability of US security guarantees. This uncertainty stems from the dual risks of abandonment and entrapment. Regional partners worry that Washington may fail to respond when local territory and critical infrastructure come under asymmetric attack, and they fear being dragged into broader regional conflicts driven by American strategic priorities. Besides, China, the other great power, is neither prepared nor willing to construct an alternate regional order through forward deployments, extended deterrence and maritime patrolling. Even though Beijing has expanded its diplomatic ties and trade across the Middle East, its foreign policy remains focused more on East Asia and the Western Pacific, with a hands-off approach to Middle Eastern regional security.
As exclusive reliance on American protection is no longer considered sufficient, the regional and regionally adjacent states are turning toward mechanisms of regional self-help. These new political and defensive arrangements are intended to strengthen their military capacity and complicate the calculations of potential adversaries. The Makkah Agreement enables participating states to strengthen their defensive capacity while operating within the broader context of an American-led regional order. Far from defying Washington, this self-help architecture aligns with the US policy preference for regional burden-sharing, which encourages local partners to assume greater responsibility for their own territorial defence and maritime security.
The Saudi security dilemma
For Saudi Arabia, the drive toward strategic hedging is driven by the progressive erosion of traditional American security guarantees over the past decade. A series of strategic shocks, including the 2019 Abqaiq-Khurais strikes, the 2021 redeployment of US Patriot missile batteries, and the escalating fallout from the 2026 Iran conflict, demonstrated the limits of exclusive reliance on the US security umbrella. While forward US deployments aim to deter threats, they can also convert host nations into primary targets when Washington enters a broader conflict. While bilateral defence ties and arms procurement from the US continue to be a preference, Ridyah needed to address new vulnerability through geopolitical hedging.
The new strategy meant deepening partnerships with Iran’s neighbours: Turkey borders Iran to the northwest, while Pakistan borders Iran to the east. By formalizing a defensive framework with Ankara and Islamabad, Riyadh is seeking to complicate the calculus of Tehran. Iranian military planners considering strikes against Saudi energy assets or urban centers must now account for the political, intelligence, and defense-industrial costs of provoking regional powers situated directly along Iran’s own frontiers. This arrangement achieves deterrence through association, while allowing regional-adjacent states to contribute towards regional stability in the broader Middle East. Besides, pre-pact consultations involving Egypt demonstrate that this emerging regional architecture is not confined to a single agreement or select countries, but it is a flexible arrangement of political and defensive coordination among regional states.
Extending maritime security
A crucial dimension of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is its focus on maritime security across the Western Indian Ocean, spanning from the Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. Historically, Pakistan’s naval posture remained centered on the South Asian theatre, particularly coastal defence along Pakistan’s Arabian sea shoreline. However, the protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) passing through critical Middle Eastern chokepoints has become an existential economic imperative for Islamabad, given its near-total reliance on Gulf energy shipments. Under the expanded framework of the MJDA, and building upon the 2025 bilateral Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, the Pakistan Navy is deliberately expanding its strategic horizon beyond South Asia. By coordinating maritime domain awareness, joint patrols, and naval exercises with Saudi and Turkish naval forces, Pakistan can actively secure the maritime trade routes that support both South Asian and Gulf economies.
Similarly, for Turkey, maritime security in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa represents a critical strategic vector connecting Eastern Mediterranean commerce to broader Indo-Pacific trade. Ankara’s expanding commercial investments, its naval presence in Somalia, and its export-oriented defense sector make maritime security in the Red Sea a direct national interest. The Makkah Agreement synthesises the complementary naval capabilities of the three signatories: Pakistani naval manpower and operational experience in the Arabian Sea, Turkish naval technology and warship manufacturing, and Saudi Arabian coastal infrastructure and logistical depth. Together, this trilateral coordination establishes an integrated maritime framework across the region’s vital chokepoints, mitigating threats posed by non-state actors, asymmetric missile strikes, and commerce disruption
Concluding thoughts
The immediate objective of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is to advance security through complexity, making the strategic environment significantly harder for potential adversaries to interpret. By injecting ambiguity into the agreement, the signatories project collective solidarity while preserving the operational freedom of each government to determine its specific response. This enables Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan to mitigate the risk of abandonment without exposing themselves to entrapment in one another’s peripheral conflicts. An adversary contemplating aggression against one signatory state must now assess whether the action will provoke wider political and military responses, ranging from diplomatic pressure and intelligence sharing to joint maritime operations and direct military deployments.
This political association fundamentally alters regional calculations, transforming what was previously treated as a bilateral confrontation into a multi-state risk for Iran, Israel, and regional non-state actors. However, defensive intentions do not guarantee that others will interpret the pact as defensive. Iran may view the pact as an attempt at containment. Israel may view the combination of Saudi resources, Turkish military technology and Pakistani military prowess with growing concern. India will inevitably assess the agreement through the lens of its rivalry with Pakistan. Ultimately, the success of the agreement will depend on whether it can increase the costs of aggression and stabilize the regional order without triggering counter-alignments or an intensified regional arms competition.
Header image: Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan issue joint statement for the Makkah Summit for Joint Defence. — Saudi Press Agency
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Pakistan, as a signatory to the recently announced multinational maritime defence coalition, would implement its commitments “in full earnest”.
The statement comes following the deaths of three Pakistani sailors in Houthi strikes on a Saudi cargo ship on Tuesday.
Last month, Riyadh unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt, backed the coalition in a joint statement.
Answering questions at a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi elaborated that Pakistan was a signatory of the recent joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defence coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, to protect shipping and energy supply routes.
“Pakistan is a signatory to this maritime coalition communique and we will implement it with full earnest,” Andrabi said, adding that the country was engaged with the Saudi authorities in this regard.
Andrabi further said that on the directions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan was ascertaining the details of the agreement.
In his opening statement, the FO also said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Iran was aimed at discussing bilateral relations, security-related matters and regional developments, particularly peace and stability in the region.
He said Naqvi — who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday — was holding meetings with senior Iranian officials.
He added that the visit provides the two countries the opportunity to discuss “bilateral relations, security-related matters, and regional development, with a particular focus on efforts to promote peace, stability, and constructive engagement amongst the parties in the region and regional developments”.
Naqvi was received in Tehran by his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, and later held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian media reported.
A diplomatic source had told Dawn from Tehran that the principal objective of Naqvi’s visit was to follow up on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and Pakistan’s mediation between Iran and the US.
Speaking further on Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran, Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan remained engaged alongside “brotherly states” in “sincere efforts” to work towards a resolution to the crisis.
“Pakistan is making all-out efforts to bring the two parties to the negotiating table and the Islamabad MoU and pave the way for peace and stability in the region,” he said.
He also warned that Pakistan would continue to “offset spoilers using direct and indirect channels” and ensure the continuation of constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues.
During the Q&A session, responding to a question regarding the status of the Islamabad MoU, the spokesperson said, “Whenever the rationality for dialogue will overcome the logic of escalation, the template for peace is provided in the Islamabad MoU and Pakistan-Qatar joint statement.”
The current deadline for the 60-day period for US-Iran negotiations under the Islamabad MoU is Aug 17. Andrabi, however, noted that this deadline “can always be extended” if there is the intention to hold dialogue.
“Even then, five days still remain, so we are not closing the chapter,” he added. “But we hope that even if the deadline is not implemented, the extension will take place eventually and the parties will revert to dialogue.”
Asked about the basis for Pakistan’s continued optimism amid the US-Iran conflict, the spokesperson said, “As a mediator and facilitator of talks, we remain optimistic that a solution is in sight.”
He pointed out that during the conflict, the countries had cycled through periods of heightened escalation followed by relative calm and eventual dialogue. He termed this “the natural progression of any armed conflict of international significance”.
“We are not discouraged by escalations, as much as we do not get overly optimistic when there is a period of calm,” he said, while highlighting Pakistan’s sustained engagement with the parties to resolve the conflict.
The country would continue its engagement with optimism “that ought to be there in any credible facilitator and mediator”, he added.
Makkah pact reflects ‘resolve for sharing burden of regional peace’
The FO spokesperson also spoke of the defence pact signed last week between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which he said was “highlight of the week”.
The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
He said the agreement reflected the three nations’ “commitment to further strengthen their collective security, promoting peace security and promoting peace security and stability in the region and beyond”.
He said the agreement reflected the “long-standing brotherly relations” among the three countries and “displays our resolve for sharing the burden of regional peace and security”.
“The agreement is purely defensive in nature and allows unified efforts to confront threats and security challenges to the member states,” Andrabi added, recalling Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s statement congratulating the nation on the agreement on August 10, wherein he held the agreement was defensive in nature and not against any country.
Responding to a question, he noted that while the agreement was open to other countries, he was not “particularly aware” of which specific countries may join it in the future. He also said that he was not aware of any consultations with the US and China regarding the agreement, calling this “a matter of diplomatic exchange”, but noted that channels of communication with both countries remained open.
FO rejects Indian MEA’s ‘baseless’ remarks on AJK
When asked about the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ recent remarks regarding alleged human rights abuses in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the FO spokesperson rejected the “baseless” statement. The region has been gripped by unrest since early June as elections are also being held.
“India’s professed concerns for human rights in AJK are disingenuous given its own well-documented record for repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, suppression of political freedom and sweeping powers under the draconian laws enacted there.”
He added that India’s “politicisation” of developments in AJK was “misleading and cannot divert attention from the stark realities in Indian illegally occupied Kashmir”.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to the protection of fundamental rights and the democratic freedom of AJK,” he said.
He added that rather than making such statements over AJK, India would be “well advised to honour commitments made by its founding fathers and uphold the right of the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir to freely determine their future through a United Nations plebiscite in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.
• Mohsin Naqvi meets Pezeshkian and Araghchi in Tehran • Khawaja Asif says warring sides nearing ‘some sort of an arrangement’ • Tehran sees Islamabad MoU as ‘only legitimate framework’ for resolution of wider war • Trump rails against ‘devious Iranian negotiators’
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on Tuesday to follow up on the stalled Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as Islamabad seeks to revive its mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.
Naqvi, who arrived in Tehran earlier in the day, was received by his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni, and later held talks with Araghchi. The two interior ministers are also expected to hold detailed bilateral discussions during the visit.
A diplomatic source told Dawn from Tehran that the principal objective of Naqvi’s visit was to follow up on the Islamabad MoU and Pakistan’s mediation between Iran and the US, which has remained largely dormant as Oman took the lead in negotiations over arrangements for navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The reported progress in Oman-Iran dialogue has created an opportunity for Islamabad to move for reviving the broader process that had emerged from the June agreement.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif toldBloomberg that the United States and Iran are close to “some sort of an arrangement”.
“Things are shaping up again in favour of a peace arrangement or a deal. The signals over the last three days are that we are close to some sort of an arrangement,” he added.
Diplomatic efforts
Pakistan had recently invited Araghchi and Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf to visit Islamabad at the “earliest possible opportunity”. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, however, said on Monday that the visit of the two Iranian leaders would take place “at an appropriate time”.
Naqvi’s visit assumes significance as an effort to keep Pakistan’s mediation channel active rather than wait for the Iranian leadership to visit Islamabad.
The Persian Gulf, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, remains locked in a fragile “no war, no peace” situation following the collapse of Islamabad MoU reached between Iran and the US in June.
In his meeting with the Iranian president, Naqvi described the relationship between the neighbours as “strong, long-standing and unbreakable” and conveyed Islamabad’s “serious determination and will” to pursue the comprehensive development of ties with Tehran.
President Pezeshkian also noted that Iran-Pakistan relations would serve the two countries’ national interests as well as contribute to regional stability and security.
The emphasis on bilateral ties came days after Pakistan signed a trilateral defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, an arrangement Islamabad has repeatedly stressed is defensive in nature and not directed against any country.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and shared the contours of the agreement, underscoring its objectives of strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace and security.
Hormuz future
The disagreement over the future management of the waterway had emerged as one of the principal fault lines in the implementation of the agreement and contributed to the subsequent escalation.
Iran and Oman have since been negotiating a new arrangement for safe passage through the strait, with the talks focused on a possible new shipping route and mechanisms for its management. Tehran, however, has maintained that an understanding with Oman would constitute only a technical or first stage arrangement and would not by itself amount to a full reopening of the waterway.
Iran is adamant that it will reopen the strait only after US has redressed all alleged violations of Islamabad MoU.
According to the diplomatic source, Iran’s position conveyed to foreign capitals remains that full reopening of Hormuz is linked to implementation of the Islamabad MoU by US.
Iran, the source said, has insisted that the MoU, having been concluded at the presidential level, remains the only legitimate framework for resolving the wider dispute and should be implemented in the form in which it was signed rather than renegotiated through selective reinterpretation.
The source said Tehran was also seeking evidence of US political willingness to restore the process before moving towards what he described as the next phase leading to reopening of Hormuz. Iran, he said, wants concrete and verifiable assurances rather than verbal commitments, particularly on whether Washington is prepared to return to its obligations under the MoU.
Trump rails against ‘devious negotiators’
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday described Iran’s negotiators as “devious” and “dishonest”.
“They’re very devious negotiators because they’ll agree to something, then they’ll go out and tell the press that they never agreed to it. They’re very dishonest people,” he said in an interview with US outlet Real America’s Voice.
He added that Iran’s economic situation and inflation was unsustainable, suggesting that the US could either wait and “just keep that going”, or “hit them really, really hard”.
The third option, he said, was to “beat them economically — but we’re doing that anyway”.
He claimed that Iran was economically “a mess”, saying: “They can’t borrow money. We control their money … they had a lot, and we have total control… I’m their banker.”
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the defence pact signed last week between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was “a sign of a change in the perception” of regional countries towards the United States.
The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.
“This development is a sign of a change in the perception of the countries of the region,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said while responding to a query during a weekly press briefing on Monday.
“Considering the developments of the last two to three years, the countries of the region have realised that security is not a commodity that can be bought from false security brokers,” Iran’s state media quoted him as saying, referring to the United States.
Baqaei further said that there was “no reason to worry that this treaty will be against Iran”, highlighting Iran’s deep religious, historical and civilisational ties with Pakistan, Turkiye and even Saudi Arabia.
“This development is an important sign that the countries of the region have concluded that they cannot rely on and trust the claim of security provided by the United States and some other actors outside the region, and they are attempting to try another method; by relying on their own capabilities and perspectives,” IRNA quoted Baqaei as saying.
“Any plan that is based on the geopolitical and historical realities of the region, is comprehensive and inclusive, and correctly identifies the enemy and the threat, has a chance of helping to strengthen security and prevent instability and abuses by the Zionist enemy and its allies,” he added, referring to Israel.
In response to a question about Iran’s willingness to possibly join the joint pact, Baqaei said Iran has always “emphasised pursuing security mechanisms based on cooperation between regional countries” and “free from the influence and destructive intervention” of foreign actors.
“Those plans still exist and can certainly be updated in light of developments,” the spokesperson added.
“We are in close contact with neighbouring countries and regional countries, and we hope that all countries will learn from the developments of the last two or three years and adopt the best path to strengthen the region’s collective security,” he said, according to IRNA.
Asked about Pakistan’s invitations to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to visit Pakistan, Baqaei said, “This visit will take place whenever the time is right. Bilateral relations are mainly considered.”
He added: “The relationship between Iran and Pakistan is a very important one. In the last seven or eight months, it has become even more important than before, for various reasons.”
Pact aimed at regional peace, Dar tells Iran FM
Later in the day, Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ishaq Dar “shared the contours” of the pact with Iran’s Araghchi in a phone call, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
Dar underscored its “objectives of strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace and security”. FM Araghchi thanked his Pakistani counterpart for “sharing the key aspects of the agreement”, FO said.
The two leaders also “exchanged views on regional and international developments, with particular focus on the evolving situation in the region and efforts to promote peace and stability”.
On Sunday, DPM Dar said that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement remained “open to any country in the region” willing to uphold its fundamental principles after the Turkish foreign minister said Egypt could be joining the pact.
Dar said the pact was the “culmination of years of discussions and coordination”, adding that it was “purely defensive” in nature.
“It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts towards peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.”
The deputy PM clarified that the pact did not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the signatory countries, or with other countries or organisations.
Dar speaks with Kuwait FM, others on pact
Separately, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah felicitated Dar on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, the FO said.
The two dignitaries spoke late on Sunday and also “exchanged views on the regional situation, including occupied East Jerusalem”.
They also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and “matters of mutual interest, including the follow-up to FM Jarrah’s recent visit to Pakistan and further enhancing cooperation and investment in key sectors”.
“The two sides agreed to remain closely engaged,” the FO added.
The deputy premier also shared the contours of the pact with Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi and former Guinea-Bissau president General Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
In a joint call with them late last night, Dar shared the agreement’s “significance for strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace, stability and security”, FO said.
Dar and Tshisekedi also exchanged views on Pakistan-DRC relations and agreed on the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation, including through high-level exchanges.
DPM Dar had also spoken to Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand a day ago.
“The two exchanged views on the regional situation, including the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” the FO said.
It added that Dar shared the “essence of the agreement” and the “joint resolve of the three countries to contribute to regional peace, stability and security”.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday concluded a three-day Joint Trade Committee meeting with satisfactory progress on finalising technical modalities for the proposed Free Trade Agreement.
Officials said the initiation of technical-level talks at the 10th JTC session has set the stage for early finalisation of the FTA, amid hopes of achieving the bilateral trade target of $10 billion. However, no specific deadline was announced for the ambitious trade target.
The closing session was co-chaired by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Dr Mohammad Atabak.
At the conclusion of the talks, the two ministers signed the agreed minutes, reflecting understandings reached during the deliberations.
Agree to keep border crossings open round the clock
An official announcement issued after the conclusion of the JTC said both sides welcomed progress on the proposed FTA, including rules of origin, tariff-reduction modalities and product lists.
The meeting also focused on expanding barter trade, strengthening business-to-business linkages, promoting industrial cooperation and investment, increasing private-sector participation, and activating joint border markets.
The two countries agreed to improve trade facilitation, customs coordination, transport, logistics and border infrastructure to ensure the smooth movement of commercial cargo, particularly perishable goods.
The JTC concluded with a commitment to deepen economic cooperation and work towards the shared target of $10bn in annual trade. Both ministers emphasized sustained coordination and timely implementation of the decisions before the next Joint Trade Committee meeting.
Meeting with prime minister
The Iranian six-member delegation also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meeting reviewed measures to promote border trade, including improving facilities, keeping border crossings open round the clock, strengthening logistics, and harmonising customs procedures.
The premier said Pakistan attached great value to its ties with Iran, describing it as a brotherly neighbour. He reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue its sincere efforts for peace in the region.
Atabak lauded Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts for regional peace and solidarity with Iran.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Tuesday reiterated their resolve to expand bilateral trade to $10 billion, with Commerce Minister Jam calling for transforming “historic brotherly relations” with Iran into a robust economic partnership.
Since March this year, both countries have rolled out a series of measures to facilitate border trade, including easing customs procedures, formalising Taftan as a customs station, and notifying new transit routes, against the backdrop of the ongoing US-Iran conflict in the Middle East that has strained economies in the region and beyond.
Their latest engagement took place at the 10th session of the Pak–Iran Joint Trade Committee (JTC), which is being held in Islamabad from August 3-5. The meeting was co‑chaired by Iranian Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mohammad Atabak and Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
On the occasion, Khan also underscored the urgency to finalise the Pak–Iran Free Trade Agreement, a statement issued by his ministry said.
He called for the removal of barriers in border logistics and cargo movement, highlighting that joint border markets and electronic data interchange could significantly boost trade flows, it added.
According to the statement, both sides reviewed the measures already taken to enhance bilateral commerce at the meeting.
Moreover, the commerce minister said the private sector in both countries was prepared to expand trade, stressing that it was the responsibility of both governments to provide a “predictable and favourable” environment for business to them.
He expressed hope that the JTC meeting would help evolve a practical roadmap to transform trade connectivity and raise the bilateral volume to its maximum potential, the statement said.
For his part, the Iranian minister called Pakistan Iran’s “long‑term strategic trade partner”, the statement said, adding that he expressed Tehran’s desire to expand regional trade and logistics cooperation through Karachi and Gwadar ports, and the optimism that the Pak–Iran FTA would be concluded soon.
Atabak said electricity trade and regional connectivity were “new avenues of economic opportunity” for both countries, according to the statement.
It said Pakistan and Iran “reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, and private sector partnerships”.
Tuesday’s meeting takes place around two weeks after Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni’s visit to Islamabad, where he also held a meeting with Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi. During that meeting, the two sides agreed to expand railway cooperation and strengthen cross-border connectivity.
As maritime trade faces uncertainty due to the Gulf crisis, Pakistan also permitted exporters in March this year to continue shipping food and pharmaceutical products to Iran via land routes without mandatory banking instruments.
Simultaneously, Islamabad allowed rice exports to Central Asian Republics and Azerbaijan through Iran. In total, 10 food items — including rice, seafood, potatoes, meat, onions, maize, citrus fruits, bananas, tomatoes, and frozen chicken — along with two non‑food items (pharmaceuticals and tents) were cleared for land‑route exports without financial instruments.
To strengthen border management and formalise cross‑border flows, Pakistan established the same month a new customs station at Jeerak in Panjgur district, designated as the fifth crossing point for trade and transit with Iran. The facility aims to regulate passenger movement, document personal baggage, and channel informal trade into the formal economy.
This builds on earlier steps, including the opening of the Kohak Cheedgi crossing in January 2025 and the Gabd Rimdan border point in December 2024.
In April, Pakistan’s commerce ministry had notified six transit routes for the transportation of goods to Iran via Pakistani sea ports in Gwadar and Karachi. The development had come amid reports that thousands of containers destined for Iran are awaiting clearance at Pakistani ports.
ISLAMABAD: As efforts continue to prevent the conflict in the Gulf from widening, Iran on Friday called for expanding strategic cooperation with Pakistan, describing Islamabad’s diplomatic engagement as an important contribution to regional peace and stability.
“Pakistan has played a constructive diplomatic role in facilitating negotiations and advancing efforts towards regional peace and stability,” Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said while delivering the keynote address at a roundtable discussion, organised by the Centre for International Strategic Studies.
“Strengthening our bilateral cooperation is essential for addressing contemporary security challenges in West Asia,” he said.
The discussion, titled Pakistan-Iran Relations and Strategic Stability in West Asia, brought together diplomats, academics, defence analysts and researchers to examine the future trajectory of Pakistan-Iran relations against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile regional security environment.
Opening the discussion, CISS Executive Director Amb Ali Sarwar Naqvi said the recent escalation had generated fresh uncertainties for regional peace, maritime security and global energy markets, making sustained dialogue and regional engagement more important than ever.
Former ambassador Masood Khan said Pakistan’s consistent advocacy of peaceful dispute resolution and its ability to maintain constructive relations with regional and international stakeholders had strengthened its credibility as a facilitator of dialogue, confidence-building measures and de-escalation.
Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, Amb Moinul Haque said the resilience and national unity displayed by the Iranian people during the recent conflict had played an important role in enabling the country to confront the challenges arising from the crisis.
Dr Nazish Mahmood of Quaid-i-Azam University said greater cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in border security, trade, energy and regional connectivity could contribute meaningfully to long-term regional stability.
Discussing the maritime dimension of the crisis, retired Rear Admiral Faisal Shah highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz as one of the world’s principal energy chokepoints and cautioned that prolonged instability there could carry far-reaching consequences for international trade, energy security and maritime stability.
Dr Bilal Zubair, director of research at CISS, said the recent conflict had brought Pakistan and Iran closer than ever before, with their shared border, economic interdependence and common concerns over regional instability reinforcing bilateral cooperation and reshaping the relationship across political, economic and strategic domains.
