Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni on the sidelines of a regional security gathering in Kyrgyzstan, with the two sides discussing efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East following a fresh escalation amid efforts for peace between Washington and Tehran, Pakistan’s interior ministry said on Friday.
The meeting comes a day after Pakistan condemned Iranian drone and missile attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, warning that renewed hostilities were undermining diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving tensions between the United States and Iran.
Naqvi and Momeni met in Bishkek during a meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) ministers responsible for internal affairs and public security.
“Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held an important meeting with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni,” the ministry said in a brief statement.
“The two ministers discussed Pakistan-Iran relations and the latest situation in the region,” it added. “Both interior ministers stressed the need to continue diplomatic efforts consistently to achieve lasting peace in the region.”
Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran, bringing the two sides together for a high-level round of talks in April that failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Pakistani officials have remained in contact with leaders of the two countries since the war started in late February, relaying messages and peace proposals between the two sides.
They were also instrumental in bringing the two sides to a fragile ceasefire on April 8. While the arrangement largely remains in place, the peace talks between the two sides have stalled over issues related to the Iranian uranium enrichment program and the Strait of Hormuz, which was shut down by Iran in the wake of the joint US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.
Naqvi has visited Iran and held high-level meetings in recent weeks.
The Pakistan-Iran engagement has also intensified as the situation has become tense once again, with Iranians and US forces launching sporadic strikes against each other.