Another Push To Save US-Iran Peace Deal? Pakistan Sends Mohsin Naqvi To Tehran

Last Updated:June 20, 2026, 16:12 IST

Pakistan’s interior minister will seek to persuade Tehran to resume talks before Ashura, with a proposed Switzerland meeting hinging on the outcome of his mission.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in the Iranian city of Mashhad on Saturday as part of an urgent diplomatic mission aimed at persuading Tehran not to delay further negotiations with the United States until Ashura, top security sources have told CNN-News18.

Mashhad is one of Iran’s most important religious pilgrimage centres. Sources said Naqvi would pay a spiritual visit to shrines in the city before travelling to Tehran later in the evening.

He is expected to hold key meetings with senior Iranian leaders in Tehran as Pakistan pushes to prevent delays in the implementation of the US-Iran peace deal and secure progress in follow-up negotiations before the 10th of Muharram.

According to sources, the next phase of high-level negotiations in Switzerland will depend heavily on the outcome of Naqvi’s discussions with the Iranian leadership.

Should the Tehran talks succeed, Naqvi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to travel together to Switzerland for a proposed summit, sources said. The Swiss meeting, however, will go ahead only if Iran agrees to resume the diplomatic process before Ashura.

Another Push To Save Peace Deal

Sources said Pakistan is making a renewed push to prevent further delays in the negotiations and keep the proposed peace agreement on track.

Naqvi’s immediate objective will be to convince Tehran that postponing the talks until after Ashura could weaken diplomatic momentum and complicate efforts to resolve the remaining differences.

The diplomatic push comes as US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is reportedly heading to Switzerland for the opening round of talks with Iran over a possible nuclear agreement.

US Vice President JD Vance had earlier withdrawn from the negotiations after the talks were postponed amid renewed hostilities in Lebanon.

Sources also indicated that Naqvi could travel directly to Switzerland following his Tehran visit if an understanding is reached. Araghchi is expected to accompany him should Iran approve the proposed diplomatic roadmap.

Vance Takes Swipe At Pakistan’s Press Freedom

The latest diplomatic activity comes after Vance joked about press freedom in Pakistan while explaining why Washington had taken time to publicly release the terms of the Iran peace deal.

“In the Pakistani and Qatari systems, they don’t quite have the First Amendment and freedom of the press," Vance said, drawing a comparison with the process involved in making the details of the agreement public in the United States.

Iranian Hardliners Accuse Pakistan Of Bias

The diplomatic effort also comes amid growing criticism of Pakistan from Iranian state-linked outlets and hardline factions, which have accused Islamabad of playing a “double game" in the negotiations.

According to top intelligence sources, Iranian factions believe Pakistan’s mediation has been tilted towards Washington’s demands and has failed to adequately account for Tehran’s core security concerns.

During direct diplomatic exchanges, Iranian officials have also reportedly warned that the Pakistan-facilitated negotiating tracks were ignoring what Tehran described as the realities of continuing maritime blockades.

The criticism has placed Islamabad in a difficult position as it attempts to retain Iran’s confidence while keeping the US-backed diplomatic process alive.

Naqvi’s Tehran mission is therefore expected to focus not only on the timing of the negotiations but also on addressing Iran’s concerns over Pakistan’s role as a mediator.

About the Author

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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