ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN â Pakistan on Sunday stepped up diplomatic engagement with Iran as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate amid fresh US military strikes and growing security concerns in Strait of Hormuz.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which both leaders discussed the deteriorating regional situation.
Published: 11:01 PM, Jul 11, 2026
MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Republic of Iran held talks in Muscat on Saturday regarding navigation on the Strait of Hormuz to ensure its safety and freedom in light of recent developments and their repercussions.
The two sides agreed to carry on with the talks at both the technical and political levels to reach agreements in accordance with international law.
The discussions were held by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, and Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Reaffirming Pakistanâs commitment to regional peace, the prime minister assured President Pezeshkian that Islamabad would continue to play a constructive and impartial role in facilitating dialogue and supporting every effort aimed at maintaining stability.
President Pezeshkian thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and other senior Pakistani officials for attending the funeral of the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He appreciated Pakistanâs consistent support for peace initiatives and reiterated Iranâs commitment to regional stability.
The meetings are being held in coordination with Washington and are focused on implementing existing US-Iran MoU while resolving the disputes that triggered the latest standoff between the two countries. Among the central issues is the long-running disagreement over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the worldâs most critical energy corridors.
DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a phone call from Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to discuss bilateral ties and the latest regional and international developments.
The conversation focused on cooperation between their countries and explored ways to strengthen relations, alongside efforts to support security and peace in the region.
Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Oman on Saturday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz, state media said.
The visit „will be focused on the Strait of Hormuz and shipping safety“ and is „a continuation of the consultations that we started with Oman over the past one or two months,“ Iran‘s official IRNA news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.
(April 15, 2026)
He noted that the Iranian delegation faced direct security threats while heading for negotiations with the United States in Islamabad, stating, „We received direct threats while en route to Islamabad that our plane might be attacked,“ prompting heightened caution during and after the visit.
„On our way back, we did not fly to Tehran. It‘s a very long story, but we all believed that there was a significant chance that they would down our plane, that they would shoot down our plane, that they would fire a missile at our plane,“ Marandi said.
He explained that on the way back from the talks, the Iranian delegation „secretly got into a different plane, and that plane on the way to Tehran suddenly diverted and landed very swiftly in Mashhad. And then we all came to Tehran by train, by car, and by bus.
According to the report, Pakistani fighter jets escorted the Iranian delegation‘s aircraft to and from Islamabad because of fears that Israel could attempt to assassinate senior Iranian officials.
On the return journey, Iranian security services informed the aircraft carrying Ghalibaf that intelligence indicated Israel was preparing an attack and that two Israeli fighter jets had entered Iranian airspace from the western border near Iraq, the newspaper reported, citing Iranian officials.
Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Ghalibaf who accompanied the delegation, confirmed the account on social media.
The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing in Mashhad, and members of the delegation completed the journey to Tehran by land, travelling for approximately eight hours, the newspaper said.
In the spring, U.S. officials suspected that Israel intended to kill Iranâs top negotiators and sent a warning to Tehran to take precautions.
Fearful that an Israeli assassination effort would doom the negotiations, the United States, according to some of the officials, went so far as to ask other countries in the region to warn Iran about the possibility Israel could target the two officials.
U.S. officials acknowledged that during the intense phase of the war, Mr. Araghchi and Mr. Ghalibaf, as senior government officials, could have been legitimate targets for Israel, which was intent on toppling Iranâs hard-line government. But after the negotiations started in earnest in April, American officials believed that any attempt to kill the Iranian leaders would end the talks and reignite the fighting.
„Qatar and Pakistan mediators concluded separate meetings with the US and Iranian negotiators in Doha today, with positive progress made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit,“ Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson and adviser to the prime minister Dr Majed al-Ansari tweeted on X.
„The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader.“
Oman‘s foreign minister Badr Albusaidi has said Muscat remains committed to ensuring toll-free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz following discussions with senior Iranian officials.
In a post on X, Albusaidi said there had been „constructive discussions on the recent Iran-US MOU, especially the Strait of Hormuz paragraph“. He added: „We affirmed commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage.“
The comments came after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf visited Oman for talks on bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, met President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, in a high-level meeting focused on regional developments and peace initiatives, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
During the exchange, both sides reviewed the evolving geopolitical landscape and ongoing challenges affecting regional stability. Discussions centred on the importance of coordinated approaches to reduce tensions and support diplomatic pathways amid a complex security environment.
Pezeshkian said that the visit aims to pursue the continued implementation of all MoU clauses within the framework of international law and the rights of the Iranian people.
âWhat has been signed must be fully operationalized,â he said.
The president said the agreementâs implementation could significantly reduce many of the regionâs problems and, amid ongoing âunjust wars and aggression by the Zionist regime against Islamic countries,â and would help strengthen regional stability and security.
A communication line has also been established between the parties for the period specified in the Memorandum of Understanding to help prevent incidents and misunderstandings. The mechanism is intended to facilitate the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington and Tehran agreed to establish de-confliction cell involving Lebanon and facilitated by the mediators. The mechanism is intended to support implementation of the cessation of military operations in Lebanon and help prevent future confrontations.
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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Syed Asim Munir have departed Islamabad and are on their way to Switzerland where diplomatic discussions between the US and Iran are unfolding, a statement from the prime ministerâs office said Sunday.
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The talks are set to be held in the Swiss mountain resort of BĂŒrgenstock.
The delegation is led by Iranâs head negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that representatives from Washington and Tehran will participate in the discussions, while Pakistani and Qatari officials will facilitate the process. Islamabad says it remains committed to advancing the understandings reached under the MoU and promoting peace and stability through dialogue.
Vice President JD Vance on Saturday headed to peace talks in Switzerland, signaling renewed efforts to keep an agreement signed earlier this week by President Trump on track after Iranian security officials said they had closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The task now is not to reward Trump politically, nor to excuse the recklessness that produced this war. It is to prevent the war from returning. Democrats can condemn the decision to start it without sabotaging the agreement that ends it. They can hold Trump accountable without helping Netanyahu drag the United States back into conflict. The choice before them is not between opposing Trump and supporting peace. It is between learning from Americaâs endless wars and repeating them.
Hereâs how the world has reacted to the news:
In a statement issued Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom welcomed the efforts of both countries to reach a lasting agreement that would contribute to regional and international security and stability.
The Kingdom also commended the mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan and Qatar, as well as the positive engagement shown by the United States and Iran, which helped pave the way for the agreement.
Saudi Arabia further emphasized the importance of restoring security for navigation and maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to the conditions that existed before Feb. 28.
The source added that Qatari mediators had departed Tehran after â17 hours of intensive negotiationsâ, which began on Sunday and culminated in an agreement.
TEHRAN â A Qatari delegation has reportedly arrived in Tehran amid high-level diplomatic activity linked to ongoing efforts for âmessage exchangeâ between the US and Iran, as Tehran shows resistance over signing date.
The visiting delegation is headed by advisor to Qatarâs Foreign Minister. The visit is said to aim at continuing indirect communication and transmission of messages between Tehran and Washington. This is second visit by the Qatari delegation to Tehran within just a few days amid intensified behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
A potential peace agreement between Iran and US could be signed digitally as early as today.
In a post on X, the prime minister said Pakistan is actively preparing for the electronic signing of the agreement immediately after negotiations conclude, with technical-level talks expected to begin next week. He described the unfolding diplomacy as a âcrucial stepâ toward regional stability and welcomed what he called encouraging progress in the talks.
He thanked both Washington and Tehran for maintaining engagement during high-stakes negotiations and expressed optimism that the emerging deal could reshape long-term peace prospects in the Middle East.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States to end the war is „closer than ever,“ with finalization expected within the next 24 hours.