ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a 50-minute telephonic conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Saturday evening, during which the two leaders exchanged detailed views on the evolving regional situation and ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability.
Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up a diplomatic visit to Islamabad as Pakistani mediators pushed for new talks to end the Middle East war. Araghchi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as well as Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Shortly after Araghchi left Islamabad for Oman, US President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled his envoys’ planned trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on Saturday, but said that did not mean an immediate resumption of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.
The White House had previously said Trump emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were heading to Islamabad for an “in-person conversation” with the Iranians that would “hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal”.
However, Iran’s state media reported late Saturday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to visit Pakistan again after completing his trip to Oman, before travelling to Russia.
The IRNA news agency, citing the foreign ministry, reported that Araghchi “is scheduled to visit Pakistan again after completing his trip to Oman and before travelling to Russia”. Part of his delegation had returned to Tehran, it added, “to consult and obtain the necessary instructions on issues related to ending the war, and is scheduled to rejoin Araghchi in Islamabad on Sunday night”.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to regional peace and security in conversation with President Pezeshkian, underscored the country’s continued efforts to facilitate dialogue and stability. President Pezeshkian, in turn, appreciated the contributions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar towards peace initiatives, and expressed confidence in strengthening of Pakistan-Iran fraternal ties.
The prime minister also conveyed his respectful greetings to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination on regional developments.
Describing the interaction as warm and cordial, the PM appreciated the participation of a high-level Iranian delegation in talks held in Islamabad on April 11-12. He also welcomed Iran’s decision to dispatch a delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, which engaged in key discussions, including a two-hour meeting with him earlier in the day.
Sharing an overview of his recent diplomatic outreach to global leaders, the PM noted that these engagements had helped build broader consensus in support of sustained dialogue and diplomacy aimed at achieving lasting peace in the conflict-affected region. He further acknowledged the constructive discussions held between the Iranian leadership and CDF Asim Munir during his recent visit to Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to an Iranian statement, thanked Pakistan for its efforts but “explained our country’s principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran”.
On social media, Araghchi said that his trip to Pakistan was “very fruitful” but questioned whether the US was “truly serious about diplomacy.” He wrote on social media, “Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.” He also expressed scepticism about Washington’s intentions. “Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy,” he said. Soon after Araghchi posted his statement, Iranian news agency Farsna reported that the foreign minister arrived in Muscat, Oman, to meet with Omani leadership.
PM Shehbaz Sharif described his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as a “warm and cordial exchange” on the current regional situation. In a post on X, he said he was pleased to host Araghchi and his delegation in Islamabad. “We discussed matters of mutual interest, including further strengthening Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations,” he added.
During his visit, Araghchi also met Chief of Army Staff/Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The discussions focused on matters of mutual interest and the overall regional situation. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and National Security Adviser Asim Malik were also present. Ishaq Dar posted on social media that the meeting with the Iranian delegation lasted around two hours and Pakistan emphasised “the importance of dialogue and diplomacy”.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Araghchi was in Islamabad to discuss “ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability” with Pakistani officials, without directly referencing talks with Witkoff and Kushner.
An Iranian spokesman said Araghchi would travel to Oman and Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which was launched against Iran by Israel and the United States on February 28.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the latest regional developments, reaffirming Pakistan’s ongoing role in facilitating dialogue between Iran and the United States to promote peace and stability. He stressed that Pakistan remains committed to supporting diplomatic engagement and will continue its facilitation efforts in the broader interest of regional harmony. Underscoring the importance of information accuracy, Dar clarified that Pakistan’s official position on the Iran-US facilitation process is conveyed solely through authorised channels. He cautioned that statements attributed to unnamed officials in print or on social media do not represent the country’s policy, urging media outlets to avoid speculation and rely exclusively on verified sources.
Separately, Dar held a late-night telephonic conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Both leaders reviewed the ongoing diplomatic initiatives and highlighted the critical role of sustained dialogue and engagement in advancing regional and global peace.
Also, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke on Saturday with Foreign Minister of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan. The DPM/FM shared developments regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts by Pakistan. He emphasized that sustained engagement through dialogue and diplomacy remains the only viable means for promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
The district administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Saturday granted permission for all types of public and goods transport to enter the twin cities. The announcement followed reports of the cancellation of a United States delegation’s visit to the federal capital for peace talks with Iran. The district administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi had suspended public and goods transport in the twin cities on April 19, without providing any reason for the suspension.
