Visit focuses on regional diplomacy while Tehran seeks stronger cross-border commerce
ISLAMABAD: Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad late Monday for high-level meetings with Pakistani leaders, amid reports that he is carrying a message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian regarding possible diplomatic engagement with the United States.
According to commentary shared by journalist Ahmed Quraishi, Momeni is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his visit. The commentary also cited recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington remains open to diplomacy with Tehran.
However, neither the Iranian nor Pakistani governments have publicly confirmed the contents of any reported message concerning US-Iran talks. Likewise, speculation that Tehran is seeking to delay or reduce US military pressure reflects the views of unnamed commentators cited in the report rather than verified official positions.
Trade expansion discussed
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Momeni called for a significant increase in commercial traffic across the Pakistan-Iran border. He said daily movement of trucks and cargo containers should eventually reach around 2,000 vehicles, adding that current volumes are operating at roughly one-fifth of that level.
The Iranian minister also urged both countries to expand border infrastructure to facilitate trade and support a long-term goal of increasing bilateral commerce to approximately $10 billion.
Pakistani officials accompanying Momeni did not immediately announce any specific agreements regarding the proposed expansion.
Diplomatic and economic agenda
The visit comes as Pakistan and Iran continue engaging on border security, regional stability and economic cooperation. Analysts note that Islamabad has maintained dialogue with multiple regional stakeholders while encouraging diplomatic solutions to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Although reports suggest that discussions may include broader regional developments, no official readout of the high-level meetings had been released at the time of publication.
Further details are expected following Momeni’s meetings with Pakistani civilian and military leadership, which are anticipated to cover bilateral relations, border connectivity, trade cooperation and regional security issues alongside wider diplomatic developments.
Iran brings Pakistan a message on talks. And asks for 2,000 trucks a day.
After @SecRubio said the #US remains open to diplomacy, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad carrying a message from President Pezeshkian regarding talks with Washington. He spoke… pic.twitter.com/L2YUO09LfE— Ahmed Quraishi (@_AhmedQuraishi) July 20, 2026
