Mohsin Naqvi arrives in Tehran for regional talks

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Monday at the head of a delegation and was received by his Iranian counterpart and officials from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The visit comes as tensions remain high between Iran and the United States and fighting involving the Iran-backed Houthis has intensified in Yemen.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said earlier that Naqvi’s visit was taking place within the framework of bilateral relations. He described ties between Pakistan and Iran as strong and said cooperation between the two countries had increased in recent months.

Baghaei said discussions would include understandings previously reached between the two countries, including agreements made at the presidential level. He had also said there was no specific plan for Naqvi to carry messages as part of a mediation effort.

Naqvi has been involved in diplomatic efforts concerning the conflict between Washington and Tehran. His visit comes as regional developments, including attacks involving the Houthis and disruption to key shipping routes, add to concerns about wider instability.

On Monday, a tanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an unknown projectile, injuring two crew members. The injuries were reported as minor and the vessel continued towards its next port.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern for global energy and shipping markets. Reuters reported that only 17 commodity vessels crossed the waterway over the weekend, compared with 37 the previous week and an average of about 125 commercial vessels a day before the conflict.

Naqvi’s Tehran visit also comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to restart negotiations between Iran and the United States. Qatar has said its mediators have been exchanging proposals with both sides for nearly two weeks in an attempt to bring the two countries back to negotiations.

Pakistan has also maintained contacts with both Washington and Tehran as efforts continue to address the wider regional crisis.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday. According to Yemeni and Western sources cited by Reuters, Al-Alimi sought US military assistance for his Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthis. Trump did not make a direct commitment to provide military support during the call.

The Houthi conflict has added another layer to the regional crisis, particularly because of the group’s advances near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, another key international shipping route. Reuters reported that the fighting has raised concerns over the movement of energy supplies and other commercial goods.