Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi departed for Tehran on Saturday on a high-stakes diplomatic mission, carrying a special message from Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, addressed to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Iranian media said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately briefed Naqvi and entrusted him with a message for the Iranian leadership before his departure.

According to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), a meeting between Naqvi and Iran’s Supreme Leader is expected during the visit.

Iranian media further reported that Naqvi will hold a series of important meetings with senior Iranian officials in Tehran.

Sources in Islamabad said that Naqvi held consultations with Pakistani officials, including the prime minister, immediately before departing.

According to reports, the minister was briefed extensively on the scope and objectives of the visit. The agenda is expected to cover the current regional situation and ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

Third visit in weeks

This marks Naqvi’s third trip to Tehran in a matter of weeks, highlighting an unusually rapid pace of high-level diplomatic exchanges between Islamabad and Tehran. He had also previously travelled to Iran alongside Field Marshal Munir.

The visit follows Naqvi’s return from Kyrgyzstan, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Interior Ministers’ Meeting.

During the SCO gathering, Naqvi held two meetings with Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, underscoring the growing frequency of high-level contacts between the two neighbouring countries.

Pakistan’s expanding role

Pakistan has emerged as an active diplomatic player in the region in recent months.

Islamabad helped secure a temporary ceasefire between the warring sides on April 8, and later hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11 and 12.

Field Marshal Asim Munir had also personally visited Tehran as part of Pakistan’s mediation efforts.

During that visit, he met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Parliamentary Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf. Discussions focused on diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions, enhance stability, and explore pathways towards a durable resolution.

During an earlier visit, Naqvi met Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Gen Ahmad Vahidi in Tehran, a meeting considered particularly significant, as Vahidi ranks among Iran’s most powerful figures.

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