Following conversation with the prime ministers of Malaysia and Pakistan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has thanked the two countries for their cooperation with Tehran.
„I thanked Malaysia for its humanitarian stance and Pakistan for its initiative and effective efforts to reach an agreement,“ Pezeshkian said in a post on X.
During his stay in Beijing, Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in further high-level engagements.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir are in Beijing, China, on Monday (May 25) for talks with Chinese leaders as part of ongoing mediation efforts to formally end the Iran war. On Friday and Saturday, Munir was also in Iran alongside Pakistan‘s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to mediate to formally end the war.
A major diplomatic breakthrough may be unfolding on global stage as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signals that a second round of the highly anticipated “Islamabad Talks” is expected soon, hinting at an intensifying behind-the-scenes effort to cool down tensions between US, and Iran.
Pakistan’s premier reaffirmed to continue its peace efforts with “utmost sincerity,” adding that Islamabad is ready to host the next round of talks “very soon.”
(May 23, 2026, 10:30 PM)
…with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE. An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well. Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP
Pakistan‘s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran on Saturday to meet with Iranian officials, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu.
The sources‘ confirmation came after Iran‘s state-run IRNA news agency reported earlier that Naqvi arrived in Tehran „a few hours ago“ as part of the unannounced visit.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the latest regional developments with his Iranian and Pakistani counterparts in separate calls, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said Monday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call on Monday from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.
During the Prince’s call with Aragchi, the two ministers discussed the latest developments in the ongoing Pakistani-mediated diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States and exchanged views on the matter.
US President Donald Trump has announced a temporary pause of Project Freedom for safe evacuation of stranded ships at the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the great progress has been made to reach a final agreement with Iran.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Wednesday that genuine negotiation requires good faith, not dictation or extortion.
In an interview with ISNA news agency, Baghaei said, “The US proposal is still being reviewed by Iran, and once Tehran finalizes its views, it will convey them to the Pakistani side.”
I express full solidarity with His Highness @MohamedBinZayed
. Pakistan stands firmly with our Emirati brothers and sisters as well as with the Government of the United Arab Emirates at this difficult time. It is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region.
The ship, M/V Touska, connected to the sanctioned Iran Shipping Lines, was intercepted by US forces on April 19 near Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. According to US Central Command, the flagged vessel ignored repeated warnings for nearly six hours before American forces boarded and took control, accusing it of violating a US-imposed naval blockade on Iranian ports.
US officials confirmed that 22 crew members have now been handed over to Pakistan for repatriation, while six others—identified by Iranian state media as family members, were quietly transferred to another country days earlier. The vessel itself is in the process of being returned to its original owners.
Thousands of containers sit idle at Karachi port, their journey halted by ongoing instability in the Strait of Hormuz.
The “Transit of Goods through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026” took effect on April 25, formally designating six specific land corridors. These routes now allow third-country cargo destined for Iran to move securely across Pakistani soil, backed by strict customs safeguards.
ISLAMABAD – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in what officials described as a crucial round of regional diplomacy involving sensitive international dialogue.
The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s House, was attended by top national leadership, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is expected to head to Islamabad on Friday night to discuss the next steps in stalled peace negotiations with the U.S., a Pakistani official involved in the matter told MS NOW.
Araghchi and a small team are expected to talk with Pakistani mediators about a potential second round of negotiations with the U.S., said the official, who spoke anonymously due to sensitivities around the topic, according to MS NOW.
Iran‘s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has held phone conversations with Pakistan‘s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as well as army chief Asim Munir, amid heightened diplomatic activity around a possible ceasefire and renewed US-Iran engagement, according to Al Jazeera report.
Iran‘s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that the discussions focused on regional developments and issues related to the ceasefire.
In a separate call, Araghchi also spoke with Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq‘s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
In a message, PM Sharif, both personally and on behalf of Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir, deeply thankful to President Trump for accepting Pakistan’s request to extend the ceasefire. The move, according to the premier, is aimed at keeping diplomatic channels alive and preventing a dangerous return to full-scale conflict.
Sharif stressed that Pakistan, relying on “trust and confidence,” will continue what he described as sincere efforts to support a negotiated settlement to the ongoing regional crisis. He also expressed hope that both conflicting sides will maintain the ceasefire and move constructively toward peace talks.
Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other. President DONALD J. TRUMP
President Donald Trump says he will extend a ceasefire with Iran until Iran submits a proposal to end the conflict permanently.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He said he had directed the American military to “continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able.”
He said the truce, which had been due to expire in the coming hours, would “therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
Source said nine US government aircraft of US Air Mobility Command, operating under “RCH” (Reach) callsigns, have landed at PAF Base Nur Khan, carrying high-level logistics support equipment.
The aircraft convoy is reported to be transporting a range of mission-critical assets, including White House communications systems, Presidential motorcade vehicles and transport units, and Additional operational and support equipment.
Most of flights originated from Joint Base Andrews in the US, a key base used for executive and government transport operations. Several aircraft were also routed through Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where some cargo transfers and aircraft swaps reportedly took place before continuing toward Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Dar emphasized the need for dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the region and to resolve ongoing issues swiftly. Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
The spokesperson also said that the two discussed a planned telephone conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Iranian president later in the day.
Vice President JD Vance, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump‘s son-in-law, will be traveling to Islamabad for talks with Iran, sources familiar told CBS News.
The trio are expected to arrive Monday evening for talks on Tuesday. The two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States is set to expire Tuesday.
During the session, President Trump not only held detailed consultations with top US political and military leadership but also made direct telephone contact with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Iranian officials, discussing the current volatile situation and possible future developments.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andarabi said diplomatic engagements between the two sides remain sensitive and require confidentiality. He stressed that premature reporting on dates or delegations could undermine trust between parties involved in the mediation process.
Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran on Thursday morning.
Field Marshal Munir, who arrived in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, is heading a high-level political-security delegation that includes representatives from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, security institutions, and technical experts.
The primary purpose of the delegation’s visit is to relay the US message and to plan the framework for a possible second round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Doha on an official visit that drew a grand welcome from Qatari authorities. The premier was warmly received by Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, along with senior officials and dignitaries.
The premier highlighted the historic round of negotiations held in Islamabad between Washington and Tehran, signaling a potentially transformative shift in regional geopolitics. Saudi Crown Prince praised the efforts, specifically acknowledging the “constructive role” played by Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Army Chief, Syed Asim Munir, in pushing forward the peace process.