Pakistan Interior Minister Naqvi Makes First High-Level Visit to Iran After US-Iran MoU
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Iran on Saturday, June 20, 2026, in what is the first high-level visit by a Pakistani official since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran earlier this week.
Mr. Naqvi landed in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran, according to Geo News. Iranian state-owned IRNA news agency reported that he was subsequently travelling to Tehran to hold talks with senior Iranian officials. The purpose of the visit, as per IRNA, is to “monitor the ongoing negotiations” between Iran and the United States.
The US-Iran MoU, signed this week, facilitated the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and initiated a 60-day window for negotiations aimed at restoring stability in West Asia. Pakistan, which played a mediating role in the talks, is a signatory to the MoU as a guarantor. No official statement was issued by the Pakistani government regarding Mr. Naqvi's trip.
Analysts suggest Mr. Naqvi's discussions will likely focus on the next phase of technical-level talks between Washington and Tehran. These were originally scheduled to begin on June 19 but were postponed. According to Axios, US White House envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to Switzerland, where the first round of talks after the MoU signing is expected to take place, with a particular focus on Iran’s nuclear stockpile. An unnamed source cited by Axios also indicated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi plans to travel to Switzerland.
Mr. Naqvi, who is considered close to Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, has made at least three previous strategic visits to Iran to help bridge diplomatic gaps and resolve differences between Tehran and Washington ahead of the MoU. He has also been meeting regularly with US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad, according to official sources.
The visit comes amid a complex regional landscape, with the US-Iran agreement representing a significant diplomatic breakthrough after months of tensions. Pakistan's role as a guarantor underscores its efforts to position itself as a key mediator in West Asian affairs.
