Iranian President Pezeshkian Arrives in Pakistan Following US-Iran Breakthrough

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a state visit, his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February. The one-day visit comes just after the first round of direct US-Iran negotiations, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, concluded in Switzerland with what mediators described as positive and constructive progress toward a permanent end to the conflict in the Middle East.

Pezeshkian was received at a military base near the capital by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. During his stay, the Iranian leader is scheduled to hold talks with Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir to discuss next steps in the peace process, as well as meet with other senior Pakistani officials including Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. A joint news conference is expected following the discussions.

Pakistan played a key role in brokering the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by US President Donald Trump and Pezeshkian on June 18, with Sharif signing as mediator. That agreement launched a 60-day diplomatic process, and the first high-level session in Switzerland—led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf—established a mechanism for further technical talks. Negotiators agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and to discuss mechanisms to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

Pezeshkian cautioned on social media that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation,” adding that “statements outside the agreed text do not help advance the negotiations.” Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his military retains “full freedom of action to thwart any direct or emerging threat,” raising questions about the durability of any agreement not signed by Israel or Hezbollah.

Technical teams are now working on details of the potential deal, including sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoring. The US has agreed to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian funds and has temporarily eased sanctions to allow Iran to sell oil and petrochemicals until August 21. However, Iranian officials stated that no visits have been scheduled for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to nuclear sites bombed by the US, despite earlier US assertions to the contrary. The visit is widely seen as an expression of gratitude for Pakistan’s mediation and a step toward solidifying the fragile peace process.