Pakistan Army Chief awaits Tehran breakthrough as Naqvi holds key talks With Araghchi on Draft Deal
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is playing key role in emerging US-Iran related diplomacy centered in Tehran. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are said to focus on building a negotiation framework and advancing a draft agreement. A report shared by Al Arabiya claims that Pakistan’s milityary chief is closely monitoring the outcome and may visit Tehran if the deal reaches its final stage, showing Islamabad’s growing behind-the-scenes diplomatic engagement in the process. The reports further claim Field Marshal could personally travel to Tehran if negotiators finalise the draft text of proposed agreement. Mohsin Naqvi’s visit is aimed at securing consensus on a negotiation framework and deciding the mechanisms through which future talks would proceed. At same time, Foreign Office confirmed that Iran-US negotiations are expected to come under discussion during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to China. Speculation however intensified further when Foreign Office was asked directly about reports of possible Iran visit by Field Marshal. Rather than rejecting the reports, the spokesperson responded cautiously, saying the government could “neither confirm nor deny” whether such a visit was being planned. Additionaly, Foreign Office spokesperson stressed that Pakistan and China already maintain close strategic understanding on Middle East affairs, signaling possible coordination between Islamabad and Beijing over efforts to calm the crisis. Highlighting Pakistan’s growing diplomatic activity, officials disclosed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently held two separate conversations with Qatar’s leadership focused on regional peace efforts. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has also remained in contact with multiple foreign ministers in an attempt to support de-escalation initiatives. Senior Pakistani officials, according to the spokesperson, have additionally engaged with Qatari and Uzbek authorities as Islamabad inten