ISLAMABAD – Middle East conflict continues to reshape regional diplomacy, and Islamabad has once again emerged as key venue for high-level engagement. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Pakistan on Monday night for talks with the country’s civilian and military leadership.
Momeni was received by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who welcomed the visiting delegation and expressed optimism over the visit, saying he hoped the Iranian minister had “brought good news.”
During his stay, Momeni is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The discussions are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, border security, regional stability and other issues of mutual interest.
BREAKING: Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad a while ago with a high-level delegation and was received by Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Momeni is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir.
“I hope… pic.twitter.com/jl7jtjbg0z
— Naimat Khan (@NKMalazai) July 20, 2026
The high-profile visit comes at a critical moment as Pakistan continues efforts to facilitate dialogue between Tehran and Washington following the collapse of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)—a 14-point interim agreement signed in June that sought to reduce hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and pave the way for broader negotiations.
Diplomatic sources had earlier indicated that the Iranian interior minister was also expected to consult Pakistani officials involved in mediation efforts that previously helped secure the now-defunct ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
The visit unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly worsening regional security environment. Washington has expanded its military operations inside Iran, including strikes near a city hosting a nuclear power facility. Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks across the region, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming to have targeted sites in Bahrain, Jordan and Syria. Bahraini authorities, meanwhile, accused Iran of attacking the kingdom’s air navigation infrastructure.
The fragile truce unraveled after US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire effectively over, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the confrontation as a “full-scale war.” Tehran has accused Washington of violating the Islamabad-brokered agreement.
Despite the escalating military exchanges, diplomatic channels remain open. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has said indirect communication with the United States continues through international mediators, keeping alive hopes for a negotiated path out of the crisis.
The renewed conflict has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with oil prices climbing to their highest level in weeks amid mounting concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic energy corridors. Iran has reinstated restrictions affecting maritime traffic through the waterway, while the United States has responded with additional measures targeting Iranian ports.
Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic player since the conflict intensified following US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year. The Islamabad MoU, signed on June 18 through Pakistan’s mediation, was designed to establish an interim framework for de-escalation, restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and create space for sustained dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
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