Pakistan minister meets Iran leaders on regional security

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials during a visit focused on regional security, Pakistani and Iranian officials said.

Iranian state news agency IRNA reported late Tuesday that Naqvi met Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad on Wednesday that Naqvi was discussing bilateral relations, security, regional security and stability, regional developments and “constructive engagement” among parties in the region.

The Iranian government's website said Naqvi conveyed to Pezeshkian a message from Pakistan's prime minister and the chief of the army, but did not specify its content.

The visit comes as Islamabad tries to mediate a resolution to the Middle East war. Naqvi has previously been involved in mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.

Tehran has insisted on retaining control of the Strait of Hormuz after the war and wants to charge fees for passage. It has repeatedly struck ships it accuses of trying to avoid its preferred route, while the United States has imposed a rival blockade on Iranian ports.

Last week, Iran said it had agreed a route with neighbouring Oman for ships transiting the strait and was finalising arrangements to jointly manage the strategic waterway. On Tuesday, the US military announced that it had fired on a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break the American blockade of Iran's ports.