Pezeshkian’s visit comes a day after senior U.S. and Iranian officials held negotiations in Switzerland, where Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf launched a 60-day diplomatic process intended to produce a permanent settlement following the recent war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

The talks have exposed differences over key implementation details. Vance said discussions in Switzerland included an understanding that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be allowed to visit Iranian nuclear facilities. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Tuesday that no inspections had been scheduled for sites previously damaged in U.S. strikes.

The IAEA has maintained a presence in Iran since the 2025 conflict between Israel and Iran, but inspectors have not been granted access to several enrichment facilities targeted during the hostilities.

Security was heightened across parts of Islamabad as Pezeshkian met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The visit marks the Iranian leader’s first trip to Pakistan since the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran on Feb. 28.

Ahead of the meetings, Pezeshkian stressed that progress in the negotiations would depend on all parties fulfilling their commitments.

“The effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation,” Pezeshkian wrote on the social media platform X. “Progress on this path will be measured by practical adherence to accepted responsibilities.”

Iranian officials said the ongoing technical discussions in Switzerland have established several working groups focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, postwar reconstruction and verification mechanisms.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said negotiators had also created coordination mechanisms related to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to reduce tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier.

One of the key outcomes of the initial negotiations was an agreement to establish a “de-confliction cell” intended to address hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar said the mechanism would involve the Lebanese government and seek to uphold the cessation of military operations.

Questions remain, however, about the effectiveness of the arrangement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israeli forces would retain full operational freedom to respond to perceived threats, while Hezbollah has maintained that it will not halt attacks permanently unless Israel withdraws from contested areas in southern Lebanon.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a formal participant in the U.S.-Iran negotiating framework, complicating efforts to translate diplomatic understandings into durable security arrangements on the ground.

U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked about Netanyahu’s remarks, said Washington would monitor developments closely and expressed confidence that outstanding issues could be resolved.

A ceasefire in Lebanon brokered over the weekend appeared to be holding on Tuesday, with no immediate reports of renewed strikes by either side.

Lebanese and Israeli officials were expected to hold another round of direct talks in Washington later on Tuesday, with discussions focused on potential arrangements for an Israeli military withdrawal and broader security guarantees along the border.

The negotiations represent one of the most significant diplomatic efforts in the region since the end of the Iran conflict and are being closely watched by governments concerned about nuclear oversight, maritime security and the risk of renewed hostilities across the Middle East.

The trip comes as Iran seeks to reinforce diplomatic engagement with regional partners after the Switzerland discussions, which marked a significant phase in contacts between Tehran and the United States.

According to the IRNA state news agency, one of the principal objectives of Pezeshkian’s visit is to convey Iran’s appreciation to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for Islamabad’s role in facilitating communication between Tehran and Washington.

Habibollah Abbasi, director of public relations at the Iranian president’s office, said the visit would include discussions linked to Pakistan’s mediation efforts and broader bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.

Pakistan has maintained diplomatic channels with both Iran and the United States and has periodically sought to support dialogue aimed at reducing regional tensions. The mediation role highlighted by Tehran reflects Islamabad’s efforts to position itself as a facilitator in regional diplomacy.

Neither Iranian nor Pakistani officials disclosed further details regarding the agenda of the visit, including whether new agreements or joint initiatives would be announced during Pezeshkian’s stay.

The visit takes place amid continued diplomatic activity in the region following the Switzerland talks, with governments assessing opportunities for broader engagement and stability through dialogue.

Pezeshkian’s meetings in Pakistan are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest, according to Iranian state media.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Naqvi’s visit forms part of Pakistan’s continuing engagement on issues related to the dialogue between Tehran and Washington, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported.

The meeting comes amid heightened regional diplomatic activity as governments across the Middle East seek to support channels of communication between Iran and the United States following months of tensions and negotiations over key security and political issues.

Neither Iranian nor Pakistani officials immediately disclosed the detailed agenda for the talks. However, Baghaei indicated that the visit is connected to Islamabad’s efforts surrounding the ongoing discussions involving Tehran and Washington.

Pakistan has maintained relations with both Iran and the United States and has periodically sought to facilitate diplomatic engagement during periods of regional uncertainty. The country shares a lengthy border with Iran and has frequently emphasized dialogue and regional stability as central elements of its foreign policy.

The planned discussions between Naqvi and Araqchi follow previous high-level contacts between officials from the two neighboring countries and underscore continued coordination on regional developments.

No further details were immediately available regarding the duration of Naqvi’s visit or whether additional meetings with Iranian officials were scheduled.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said its air force targeted locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces on Thursday night, alleging the sites were being used to plan and organize attacks against Afghanistan with the support of hostile intelligence networks.

The ministry said the operation successfully struck pre-designated targets but provided no details on casualties, damage assessments or the means used to conduct the attack.

Reuters could not independently verify the claim.

The reported operation represents Kabul’s first major offensive action in months and follows a series of cross-border confrontations that have intensified tensions between the two countries.

Although Afghanistan does not possess fighter jets, it is known to operate a limited fleet of aircraft and helicopters. Taliban forces are also believed to have drone capabilities that have previously been used in clashes with Pakistani forces.

Pakistan’s Information Ministry rejected Kabul’s account, stating that a “rudimentary drone” originating from Afghanistan had entered Pakistani airspace and was immediately detected and shot down.

“The claims are false, as usual,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X, adding that militant camps were located and operated inside territory controlled by the Afghan Taliban.

The dispute reflects a longstanding disagreement between the two governments over militant activity along their shared border. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of providing sanctuary to armed groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, allegations the Taliban administration denies.

Afghan officials maintain that militancy within Pakistan is an internal security issue and reject claims that Afghan territory is being used to stage cross-border attacks.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply despite diplomatic efforts, including mediation initiatives backed by China, aimed at reducing tensions and restoring security cooperation.

The latest exchange comes days after Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghan border provinces. The Taliban government said those strikes killed at least 13 people, including 11 children, and wounded 14 others.

Pakistan described the operation as a calibrated response to a recent surge in militant attacks in its northwestern regions and said 26 militants were killed.

The conflicting accounts underscore the deep mistrust between Kabul and Islamabad as violence along the frontier continues to challenge regional stability.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told a press briefing in Islamabad that the projects demonstrated an effort by New Delhi to use water resources as a strategic tool, warning that any move endangering Pakistan’s water security would be met with measures to protect national interests.

“These projects confirm that India seems to weaponize water,” Andrabi said, adding that the initiatives carried serious implications for Pakistan’s economy, regional peace and international security.

The dispute centers on two Indian projects linked to the Chenab River, one of the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Islamabad says India failed to consult Pakistan before proceeding with the developments.

In May, India’s state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation issued a tender for a proposed tunnel project designed to transfer water from the Chenab River to the Beas basin. Earlier this year, India’s power ministry also announced sediment-removal work at the Salal Power Station on the Chenab, stating that the activity followed New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

India maintains that it is acting within its rights regarding waters under its control. New Delhi has also insisted that its decision to place the treaty in abeyance remains effective despite objections from Pakistan.

The water-sharing agreement, brokered in 1960, has long been regarded as one of the few enduring frameworks of cooperation between the two rivals, surviving multiple wars and periods of severe political tension.

Pakistan argues that the treaty remains legally binding and has repeatedly rejected India’s suspension of the accord. Andrabi said there was no provision allowing either country to unilaterally withdraw from the agreement.

“Any illegal measure to endanger Pakistan’s water, food and economic security as well as the survival and wellbeing of its 250 million people is unacceptable,” he said.

He added that Pakistan would retain all available options to safeguard its rights under the treaty, though he did not specify what actions Islamabad might pursue.

The disagreement has intensified since India suspended its participation in the treaty following an April 2025 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for supporting the attack, an allegation Pakistan denied.

The diplomatic fallout contributed to a sharp military escalation in May 2025, when the two countries exchanged drone, missile and artillery fire, leaving nearly 70 people dead on both sides.

The treaty dispute has also reached international arbitration. Pakistan welcomed a May 15 ruling by a Hague-based arbitration body that it said reinforced the treaty’s continued validity. India rejected the decision, describing the tribunal as illegally constituted and reiterating that its suspension of the agreement remained in force.

Analysts have increasingly warned that water management could become a major source of friction in South Asia as climate change, population growth and agricultural demand place mounting pressure on shared river systems.

Munir, who has emerged as Pakistan’s principal intermediary in contacts between Washington and Tehran, arrived in China after a visit to Iran on Friday and Saturday alongside Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The trip formed part of ongoing regional consultations following recent efforts to advance negotiations between the two adversaries.

Sharif is on a four-day official visit to China that began on Saturday in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province. Meetings in Beijing brought together Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership with senior Chinese officials at a time of heightened diplomatic activity across the region.

Addressing Chinese leaders alongside Munir, Sharif said the international community was facing a critical period and highlighted Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran. Pakistan state television showed Sharif thanking China for supporting initiatives aimed at promoting regional peace and stability.

China has publicly backed Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement, saying it is prepared to work with Islamabad to contribute to the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.

While Pakistan has taken a visible role in mediation efforts, Beijing has largely operated behind the scenes through consultations and contacts with regional governments.
Pakistan elevated its diplomatic profile last month by hosting direct talks between US and Iranian officials, the first face-to-face negotiations between the two sides since the outbreak of the Iran conflict.

The discussions were viewed as a significant breakthrough in communication channels but ended without a lasting agreement.

Munir played a prominent role during those negotiations, receiving delegations upon arrival and participating in high-level engagements surrounding the talks. Despite the diplomatic opening, negotiations stalled after Iranian officials accused the United States of presenting demands they considered unacceptable.

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The presence of both Sharif and Munir in Beijing underscores the growing coordination between Pakistan and China on regional security issues and highlights Islamabad’s effort to maintain momentum in diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The visit comes as Islamabad has taken on an increasingly active diplomatic role since the outbreak of hostilities in late February following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Pakistan has maintained contacts with both Tehran and Washington in an effort to prevent broader regional escalation and support negotiations toward a lasting ceasefire.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing a diplomatic source in Islamabad, reported earlier that Munir had departed for Tehran and was expected to hold meetings with senior Iranian officials. A Pakistani security source separately confirmed the army chief’s visit to Arab News on condition of anonymity.

Munir is expected to be joined by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who has already held meetings with Iranian leaders twice this week as part of Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach.

Separately, a Qatari negotiating delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with the United States to help secure an agreement aimed at ending the conflict and resolving outstanding disputes, according to a source familiar with the discussions cited by Reuters.

Qatar has played a prominent mediation role in several regional conflicts, including negotiations related to the Gaza war. However, Doha had largely avoided direct involvement in efforts surrounding the Iran conflict after coming under Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent hostilities.

The renewed diplomatic activity follows comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said on Friday that talks with Iran had shown “slight progress,” while cautioning against overstating the advances made so far.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio said there had been “a little bit of movement” in negotiations and described continued dialogue as a positive development. His remarks came days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had delayed a military strike against Iran because “serious negotiations” were underway.

Trump has repeatedly warned that the ceasefire established in mid-April could collapse if negotiations fail to produce an agreement, while discussions have continued amid shifting expectations over the terms of a potential deal.

NATO foreign ministers are also expected to discuss possible alliance involvement in helping secure maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict, underscoring the broader strategic implications of any settlement reached between Washington and Tehran.

The discussions in Tehran came as Iran said it was reviewing Washington’s latest position on ending the conflict that erupted after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and has remained paused under a fragile ceasefire since April 8.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian and Naqvi reviewed “the latest regional developments and the diplomatic consultations related to the Iran-U.S. talks,” while emphasizing continued political coordination and regional cooperation.

Naqvi conveyed the “messages and views” of Pakistani officials regarding ongoing negotiations and the importance of maintaining dialogue, IRNA reported.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary since the conflict began, hosting rare direct talks between U.S. and Iranian officials last month as Islamabad intensified diplomatic outreach aimed at preventing renewed escalation in the Gulf region.

Pezeshkian praised Pakistan’s efforts to support regional stability and stressed the importance of continued coordination between Tehran and Islamabad, according to Iranian media.
The war, triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran in late February, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic energy corridor that carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies.

Although direct fighting halted under the ceasefire agreement, negotiations have shown limited progress in recent weeks.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said military action remained an option if Tehran failed to respond positively to U.S. proposals.

“Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” Trump said, according to the Associated Press.
Asked how long Washington would wait, Trump replied: “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”

Trump also reiterated that the United States would not permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran,” Trump said earlier. “Either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty.”

Iran said it was examining Washington’s latest views after submitting a new proposal this week. Iranian officials indicated the offer included demands previously rejected by Trump, including sanctions relief, compensation for war-related damage, release of frozen assets and changes linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

“We have received U.S. views and are reviewing them,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by Nour News.

The uncertainty surrounding negotiations has contributed to volatility in global energy markets and increased political pressure on Trump ahead of U.S. midterm elections later this year amid rising fuel prices.

A judge in Islamabad sentenced 22-year-old Umar Hayat to death and imposed a fine of $7,200 after convicting him of fatally shooting the 17-year-old influencer at her home in the Pakistani capital, according to court proceedings witnessed by reporters.

Investigators said Hayat killed Yousaf in June 2025 after she repeatedly rejected his advances. Surveillance footage presented during the investigation showed the accused fleeing the scene carrying the victim’s mobile phone, while Yousaf’s mother and aunt were identified as eyewitnesses to the shooting.

Speaking outside the courtroom, Yousaf’s father said the ruling delivered a broader message against gender-based violence.

“This verdict is a lesson for anyone who commits such acts,” he told journalists alongside the victim’s mother.
Hayat initially confessed to the killing during the investigation before later retracting his statement.

Under Pakistan’s legal framework, the conviction and sentence remain subject to appeal in higher courts.
Yousaf had amassed millions of followers across social media platforms, particularly on TikTok, where she shared videos related to fashion, skincare and lifestyle content. She also discussed personal relationships and social pressures, subjects that remain sensitive in Pakistan’s conservative society.

Her killing triggered widespread public outrage and renewed scrutiny of online harassment and victim blaming targeting women in the country. Social media reactions following her death included both condolences and hostile comments accusing the teenager of provoking the violence against her.

Women’s rights groups organized demonstrations in Islamabad after the killing, demanding stronger protections for women and accountability for gender-based crimes.

The case drew comparisons to several high-profile killings of women in Pakistan linked to rejected romantic advances or disputes over social behavior. In 2016, social media personality Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother in a so-called honor killing that shocked the country.

In 2021, Noor Mukadam was killed by her Pakistani-American boyfriend after rejecting his marriage proposal, a case that also led to a death sentence.
Rights organizations and Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission have repeatedly warned that violence against women remains pervasive, with many cases linked to patriarchal attitudes, social stigma and weak enforcement of protections for women.

TikTok has grown rapidly in Pakistan in recent years, offering younger users particularly women access to audiences and income opportunities in a country where female participation in the formal workforce remains low.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said claims made by Pakistani officials linking Afghanistan to the attack on a police station in Bannu were unfounded.

“The Afghan government considers the recent statements by Pakistani officials, which claimed that the attack on the police station in Bannu was planned in Afghanistan, baseless,” Mujahid said in a statement posted on X.

The response came after Pakistani authorities blamed Afghanistan-based militants for the suicide bombing and subsequent assault on a police checkpoint in Bannu, an area near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan that has seen a resurgence of militant violence.

The attack, one of the deadliest against Pakistani security forces this year, intensified tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, which have repeatedly traded accusations over cross-border militancy.

Pakistan has accused militant groups operating from Afghan territory of orchestrating attacks inside Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

The Taliban administration has consistently denied harboring militants targeting neighboring countries and has argued that Pakistan’s security challenges are an internal matter.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply in recent months, including military confrontations earlier this year after Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan targeting what it described as militant hideouts.

The Taliban condemned those strikes as violations of Afghan sovereignty.