ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Gen Ahmad Vahidi in Tehran during his visit to Iran for meetings with senior Iranian officials, PTV News reported on Wednesday.
Earlier, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday, citing informed diplomatic sources in Islamabad, that Naqvi had travelled to Tehran to hold talks with Iranian officials.
According to the report, the interior minister departed for Tehran for discussions with Iranian authorities.
During the visit, Naqvi held a meeting with Gen Vahidi in Tehran, PTV News added.
The visit marks Naqvi’s second trip to Iran in less than a week.
Multiple Pakistani government sources familiar with the matter told Anadolu that Naqvi arrived to discuss a “fresh” US proposal with Iranian leaders aimed at ending the lingering Middle East conflict.
The sources said Pakistan-led mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran had entered a “critical phase”.
Naqvi met Gen Vahidi to discuss attempts to revive stalled talks between the two sides, according to the interior ministry.
He also met his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni.
According to Pakistani government sources, the minister is also expected to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials to discuss the latest US proposal.
The fragile talks between Washington and Tehran have entered a sensitive stage after the two sides exchanged fresh proposals this week, the sources said.
“Currently, Pakistan’s top priority is to further strengthen the ceasefire and persuade the two sides to hold another round of direct talks,” the sources said.
They added that prospects for a second round of direct negotiations in Islamabad had improved following recent developments, including US President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone planned strikes on Iran.
Trump said on Monday that he delayed renewed attacks after several regional countries informed him that a deal to fully end the conflict was close.
He said leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other countries asked him to delay strikes “because they think that they are getting very close to making a deal”.
The latest US proposal offers “slightly better incentives” to Iran compared to previous offers, the sources said, without disclosing further details.
According to the sources, the proposal includes issues related to Iran’s frozen assets and international sanctions imposed on Tehran.
However, they said Washington offered “no new concession” regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, which remains the central obstacle to reaching an agreement.
Under a 14-point Iranian proposal previously reported by Anadolu, Tehran seeks separate negotiations on its nuclear programme, including enriched uranium issues, within 30 days after a permanent ceasefire is reached.
Washington, however, wants the nuclear issue to be “discussed and resolved” before any permanent ceasefire agreement.
The proposal for “third-party monitoring” also remains under discussion, mainly on the Iranian side, the sources added.
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.
Tehran retaliated with attacks targeting Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, alongside the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce indefinitely.
