Iranian President to Visit Pakistan as US-Iran Peace Talks Advance

ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will undertake an official visit to Pakistan on Tuesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Monday, as diplomatic efforts under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) continue to gather momentum.

President Pezeshkian will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials. During his visit, he will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are also scheduled to call on the visiting Iranian leader.

The FO described the visit as an important opportunity for the two sides to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation in trade, energy, border security, people-to-people exchanges and regional connectivity.

The visit comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad MoU, under which Pakistan and Qatar are jointly mediating between Iran and the United States.

Meanwhile, the first round of high-level talks under the framework of the Islamabad MoU concluded in Burgenstock, Switzerland, with representatives from Iran, the United States, Pakistan and Qatar participating in what was termed the “Lake Lucerne Summit.”

According to a joint statement, the talks were held in a positive and constructive atmosphere, resulting in encouraging progress and the establishment of a mechanism for further technical negotiations.

The parties agreed to create a High-Level Committee that will provide political oversight of the mediation process. Chief negotiators will report regularly to the committee and lead specialized working groups dealing with nuclear issues, sanctions, and monitoring and dispute resolution mechanisms aimed at ensuring effective implementation of the MoU.

The committee also approved a roadmap for reaching a final agreement within 60 days and endorsed the immediate continuation of technical talks in Switzerland.

To prevent incidents and misunderstandings during the negotiation period, the parties established a direct communication channel aimed at ensuring the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In addition, a de-confliction cell involving Iran, the United States and the Lebanese Republic, facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar, has been established to monitor adherence to the cessation of military operations in Lebanon envisaged under the MoU.

Technical discussions are expected to continue throughout the week at the Burgenstock resort.

The FO said President Pezeshkian’s visit reflects the shared commitment of Pakistan and Iran to strengthening their historic ties and advancing regional peace and stability. The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity for consultations on the progress of the US-Iran dialogue and broader regional and international developments.

Pakistan and Qatar, in a joint statement issued after the Switzerland talks, expressed appreciation for the continued commitment of both Iran and the United States to diplomacy and a peaceful resolution of their differences, while thanking friendly countries for supporting the ongoing negotiations.