Peace efforts gather pace as Naqvi returns to Tehran

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday made another trip to Tehran after returning home only on Monday, in what appeared to be intense diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a deal to end the Iran-US war.

Naqvi's second visit within days underscored a growing sense of urgency, with some sources claiming that President Donald Trump had set a timeline for the negotiations to succeed or risk renewed military escalation.

Moreover, a US source said Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the mediators were working on a "letter of intent" that both the US and Iran would sign to formally end the war and launch a 30-day period of negotiations on issues like Iran's nuclear program and opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Naqvi, who returned to Pakistan after spending nearly four days in Iran, briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir on his meetings in Tehran before departing again for the Iranian capital.

What appeared particularly significant during the latest trip was Naqvi's meeting with Ahmad Vahidi, a senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and considered among the country's most powerful figures after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Naqvi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for the second time in less than a week.

Following his meeting with Naqvi, the Iranian president wrote on X: "Iran has consistently honoured its commitments and explored every avenue to avert war; all paths remain open from our side. Forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion. Mutual respect in diplomacy is far wiser, safer, and more sustainable than war."

Sources said Naqvi's latest visit was "a continuation of the previous trip" and that his agenda focused on restoring negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, considered close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also confirmed Naqvi's arrival in Tehran.

Although Islamabad has not officially shared details of the minister's engagements, the back-to-back visits come at a critical juncture when Pakistan is exchanging messages between Tehran and Washington in an effort to secure a permanent ceasefire and revive negotiations.

Pakistan's mediation efforts have received overwhelming support from several countries, particularly from the Gulf region, which fears greater instability if the war resumes.

President Trump the other day disclosed that he had halted planned strikes on Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. He said he had accepted the request as serious talks were taking place.

Within hours of Naqvi landing in Tehran, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister issued a statement backing Pakistani efforts and urging all sides to seize the opportunity.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in a statement posted on X, welcomed President Trump's decision to "give diplomacy a chance" in order to reach an agreement to end the war and restore "the security and freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its state prior to February 28, 2026."

"Saudi Arabia also highly appreciates the ongoing mediation efforts carried out by Pakistan in this regard. Saudi Arabia looks forward to Iran seizing the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation, and urgently responding to the efforts to advance the negotiations leading up to a comprehensive agreement to achieve lasting peace in the region and the world," Prince Faisal bin Farhan added.

The reference to restoring the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-war status suggested that freedom of navigation through the vital waterway has emerged as a central issue in the ongoing diplomacy, amid fears that any prolonged disruption could severely impact global energy supplies and regional stability.

Iran, however, wants to exercise greater control over the waterway and is even considering charging tolls. Other stakeholders are not in favor of such a move and want the strait restored to its pre-war status.