Pakistan made every diplomatic effort to ease Iran-US tension, Mohsin Naqvi tells Doha forum

DOHA: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said Pakistan made every possible diplomatic effort to ease tension between Iran and the United States and pave the way for talks.

Addressing the Global Security Forum in Doha, he said that at several points during the negotiations the situation became extremely tense. However, Pakistan did not let diplomatic contacts break down even in difficult circumstances.

Praising Qatar’s diplomatic efforts, he said Qatar had always given priority to dialogue and Pakistan valued its role.

Role of the Field Marshal

Mohsin Naqvi described the role of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in easing Iran-US tension as important. According to him, the Field Marshal played a key part in opening the door to talks through contacts with world leaders and diplomatic channels.

He said he had himself accompanied the Field Marshal on visits to Iran and took part in meetings with senior Iranian officials.

He said the main aim of Pakistan’s efforts was to stop the conflict from spreading further and to save the region from a major disaster.

Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan hosted the Islamabad talks in April. According to his account, the United States and Iran signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June. He also spoke of a 16-hour negotiating process in Switzerland between Pakistani and Qatari leaders.

He made it clear that the aim of Pakistan and its partners was not to take credit for diplomatic success, but to prevent further confrontation and protect innocent lives. Pakistan wants a future in which differences are resolved through talks before wars begin.

Makkah defence agreement and counter-terrorism

The interior minister described the Makkah joint defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as important for regional security. He said the agreement was defensive in nature. Its aim, he said, was not to promote military action but to strengthen security and defence cooperation.

Stressing the need for greater cooperation against terrorism, he said the sharing of intelligence and joint efforts must be made more effective. For lasting peace in the region, he said, the door to dialogue should never be closed.