Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni discussed regional developments and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation across various fields—particularly boosting joint trade volume—during his visit to Islamabad and meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Army Chief, and the Pakistani Interior Minister.
At the conclusion of his meetings, Momeni stated that the talks covered regional developments alongside positive discussions aimed at laying the groundwork for expanding cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in various areas.
While receiving the Iranian Interior Minister and his accompanying delegation, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that his country will continue its role as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator, emphasizing Islamabad's strong commitment to peace and stability in the region.
The meeting was attended by Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, as well as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office, Shehbaz Sharif referenced his recent visit to Tehran to attend the funeral ceremony of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the martyr Imam Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, expressing his respect and best wishes to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba al-Hosseini Khamenei, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The Pakistani Prime Minister also expressed deep concern over the recent escalation of tensions in the Gulf, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any steps that would further destabilize the region, emphasizing that Pakistan will continue its role in facilitating dialogue and supporting regional peace and stability.
For his part, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni expressed his gratitude to the Pakistani Prime Minister for the warm hospitality extended to the Iranian delegation in Islamabad, conveying to him the greetings and best wishes of senior Iranian officials.
In turn, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi affirmed that his country and Iran are working side by side to establish peace in the region and achieve development and prosperity for the peoples of both nations, praising the constructive approach followed by Iranian officials in enhancing bilateral relations.
The official meeting between the high-level Iranian and Pakistani delegations was held under the co-chairmanship of Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and his Pakistani counterpart Mohsin Naqvi, with the latter expressing satisfaction over Momeni's first official visit to Islamabad, considering it a positive step for the region.
Naqvi noted that the participation of high-level representatives from the Iranian Ministries of Industry, Mine and Trade, Petroleum, Agriculture Jihad, and Roads and Urban Development reflects the importance of cooperation between the two countries and their keenness to open new horizons for partnership.
The meeting addressed shared security challenges, particularly the issue of terrorism on the border between the two countries. Naqvi emphasized that Tehran and Islamabad are determined to confront elements threatening security and stability, and will not allow terrorists and their supporters to achieve their goals, stressing the need to enhance coordination between security agencies to eliminate threats to security.
Both sides also discussed human trafficking across the shared border and the importance of enhancing cooperation to prevent this phenomenon, including preventing the use of maritime routes in trafficking operations.
For his part, the Iranian Interior Minister outlined three main pillars for enhancing economic cooperation during the meeting, which included facilitating the movement of commercial trucks between Iran and various Pakistani regions, raising the volume of trade between the two countries to $10 billion, and noting the Pakistani government's interest in upgrading the railway line along the shared border to contribute to commercial development.
Momeni explained that Iran has completed the railway line within its territory up to the outskirts of Mirjaveh, expressing hope that Pakistani authorities will give serious attention to upgrading the railway line on the Pakistani side at the Taftan border.
The Iranian Interior Minister underscored the importance of enhancing border trade, particularly through the Rimdan–Gabd crossing, calling on the Pakistani side to take the necessary measures to develop commercial activities at this border checkpoint.
