FM Dar, Iranian counterpart reaffirm importance of continued engagement

Meeting underscores that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to promoting peace and stability in region

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Bishkek ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting on Tuesday, where the two sides reaffirmed the importance of continued engagement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

FM Dar arrived alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Kyrgyz capital for a three-day official visit to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit, besides assuming Pakistan's chairmanship of the council for 2026-27

The two foreign ministers exchanged views on “bilateral relations and regional developments”. Dar underscored that “dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to promoting peace and stability in the region.”

He further stressed that “sincere implementation by both parties to the conflict of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of June 2026 remains the only way forward.”

The Foreign Office (FO) said the interaction between Dar and Araghchi was a “warm exchange,” with the two foreign ministers reaffirming the importance of continued engagement and discussing regional developments and bilateral relations.

A warm exchange between Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 and Foreign Minister of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi @Araghchi ahead of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today.

The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on… pic.twitter.com/flgYsG0B3l

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

Dar also met Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on Tuesday on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek.

In a post on X, the FO said Dar “met with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today”.

The FO said the two sides “reaffirmed the strong bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Azerbaijan and expressed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral partnership”.

The two foreign ministers also “exchanged views on regional and international developments and matters of mutual interest”, the FO said.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov @Bayramov_Jeyhun on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today.

The two sides reaffirmed the… pic.twitter.com/mVasGIcu5v

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

Earlier in the day, Dar met Turkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday.

In a post on X, the FO said Dar “met with Director of Turkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

The FO said the two sides “exchanged views on regional developments and matters of mutual interest, including the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and the inaugural meeting of its Strategic Political and Defence Committee, as well as recent developments in the region”.

Dar “underscored the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement for regional peace, security and stability”, the FO added.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Director of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT), İbrahim Kalın, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek.

The two sides exchanged views on… pic.twitter.com/L3kD6VebfS

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

FM Dar also had a warm interaction with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin in Bishkek on Tuesday.

In a post on X, the FO said there was “a warm interaction” between Dar, Lavrov and Muhriddin “on the margins of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

A warm interaction between Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, and Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin on the margins of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting… pic.twitter.com/RuqDLsit9s

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

During the day, Dar also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday.

In a post on X, the FO said Dar “met with Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

The FO said the two foreign ministers “held a warm and cordial exchange, reaffirming the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China”.

The two sides also “discussed matters of mutual interest, including UNGA 2026 in New York and the ongoing process for the election of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations”.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek.

The two Foreign Ministers held a warm and cordial… pic.twitter.com/iasupPJ7sI

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

Dar met Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov in Bishkek on Tuesday on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.

In a post on X, the FO said Dar “met with the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today”.

The FO said the two sides “reaffirmed the close and growing Pakistan–Uzbekistan partnership” and “discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in all areas of mutual interest”.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov @FM_Saidov on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today.

The two sides reaffirmed the close and growing… pic.twitter.com/bONZzNR5Id

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

FM Dar also met his Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenkov in Bishkek on Tuesday on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.

In a post on X, the FO said Dar “met Foreign Minister of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met Foreign Minister of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek.

They discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, and exchanged… pic.twitter.com/vLEtWj8o8w

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2026

The FO said the two sides “discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest”.

Read: Islamabad MoU offers ‘only viable pathway’ to lasting regional peace: PM Shehbaz in meeting with Iran's Pezeshkian

PM Shehbaz arrived in Bishkek on Monday for a three-day official visit to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit, as Pakistan prepares to assume the SCO Council's chairmanship for 2026-27.

Upon his arrival, the prime minister met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with the two leaders discussing the evolving regional situation, bilateral ties and efforts to promote regional peace. Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to peacebuilding and highlighted Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir's recent visit to Tehran. He also invited Pezeshkian to visit Pakistan, while the Iranian president invited Shehbaz to the ECO Summit in Tehran in December 2026.

Pakistan is set to assume the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship for 2026-27, under which it will lead the organisation's top-level deliberations and host the SCO summit in Pakistan in 2027.