Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Monday for urgent talks as tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi continue to rise over the April 22 massacre of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Araghchi’s visit marks the first by a foreign dignitary since the attack and signals Tehran’s intent to mediate between the nuclear-armed rivals. “We seek de-escalation and urge all parties to exercise restraint and avoid increasing tensions,” Araghchi told reporters upon arrival in Islamabad. He is also scheduled to visit New Delhi later this week.
Following talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, in Islamabad on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined the key objectives of his visit during a briefing with Iranian journalists accompanying him.
Araghchi said, "Both India and Pakistan are friendly countries to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Of course, Pakistan is our neighboring and brotherly country, and we were interested in being informed of the positions of our friends in Pakistan before traveling to India,” according to the Iranian state-owned MEHR news agency.
"In a meeting with Pakistani friends, we briefed them on the latest status of negotiations between Iran and the United States, too.”
Iran FM reaffirms Pakistan relations, rejects country's role in Kashmir attack
The Iranian foreign minister also held a special meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad. Associated Press of Pakistan, a state-run news agency, reported that the prime minister shared Pakistan’s serious concerns over the prevailing tensions in South Asia, which result from India’s provocative behavior since the Pahalgam incident.
He categorically rejected any attempts to link Pakistan to the incident without sharing any evidence. He said Pakistan had offered an international, transparent, neutral, and credible investigation to ascertain the facts behind the Pahalgam incident.
Foreign Minister Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to strengthening its relations with Pakistan and contributing to the bringing of peace and stability to South Asia.
Immediately following the Pahalgam attack, Iran offered to mediate between India and Pakistan, but India swiftly rejected the offer, stating it was capable of handling the matter independently.
On April 25, Araghchi tweeted on X that Tehran was 'ready to leverage its strong relations with both Islamabad and New Delhi to foster greater understanding during this difficult time.'
Last week, Araghchi spoke with Indian Foreign Minister Subramanian Jaishankar and Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the attack and expressed condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while also discussing Indo-Pakistani tensions with Shehbaz Sharif.
According to diplomatic sources, following his visit to Islamabad, the Iranian foreign minister will return to Tehran to brief his leadership on the trip's outcomes. Based on further directives, he is also expected to visit New Delhi in the coming days.
Pakistan’s military, meanwhile, remains on high alert. Defense officials claim Indian fighter jets attempted to breach Pakistani airspace last week, prompting Islamabad to scramble aircraft in response. On Monday, Pakistan’s Strategic Command conducted a second missile test in three days, launching a short-range surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 kilometers. The test follows the Saturday launch of the 450-kilometer-range Abdali Weapon System.
