TEHRAN: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday held separate meetings with Iran’s top civil and military leadership in Tehran, as efforts continued amid an ongoing impasse between the Islamic Republic and Washington over a proposed framework aimed at ending the war, according to Iranian state media.
During his second visit to Tehran in less than a week, Naqvi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief General Ahmad Vahidi, and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. The meetings reflected a series of high-level diplomatic engagements taking place amid heightened regional sensitivity.
The discussions came as reports indicated that work was underway to finalise a draft agreement between Washington and Tehran. Meanwhile, Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, citing sources, reported that a new round of negotiations could be held in Islamabad after the ongoing Hajj period.
According to those reports, the final version of the US–Iran agreement could be announced within hours, while a key Pakistani figure is expected to travel to Tehran on Thursday as part of continuing diplomatic contacts. These developments point to intensified behind-the-scenes mediation efforts.
The latest diplomatic activity comes six weeks after US President Donald Trump paused Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, with negotiations aimed at ending the conflict making limited progress despite sustained international involvement.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said negotiations with Iran were in their “final stages,” while also warning Tehran of potential further strikes if a deal was not reached. “We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens. Either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” he said.
The US president also stated that he had recently come close to ordering additional strikes against Iran but decided to delay military action to allow more time for negotiations, according to Reuters.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan welcomed Trump’s decision to “give diplomacy a chance,” saying Riyadh appreciated efforts aimed at reaching an acceptable agreement to end the conflict.
In a statement shared on social media, the Saudi foreign minister also expressed support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts and urged Iran to seize “the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation,” highlighting regional backing for diplomatic solutions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking to Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, said negotiations between Tehran and Washington were continuing through Pakistani mediators, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency. He added that Iran’s core position is based on rights rather than demands, stressing that lifting US sanctions remains a key requirement and a legitimate demand of Tehran.
Naqvi’s latest visit follows his earlier two-day trip to Tehran, during which he held a 90-minute meeting with President Pezeshkian focused on bilateral relations and Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Washington.
During that meeting, the Iranian president thanked Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan for not allowing their territories to be used for military actions against Iran during the conflict. The exchange underscored Tehran’s appreciation of regional positions amid ongoing tensions.
Naqvi’s renewed engagement also comes after Iranian media reports claiming that Washington failed to offer meaningful concessions in response to Tehran’s proposals for ending the war.
According to Fars News Agency, the United States had submitted a five-point proposal that included restricting Iran to one operational nuclear site and transferring its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to US custody. Meanwhile, Mehr News Agency reported that Tehran viewed the proposal as an attempt by Washington to secure through negotiations concessions it could not achieve during the conflict, potentially pushing talks toward deadlock.
During a separate meeting with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Naqvi praised Iran’s diplomatic efforts during Islamabad-hosted talks, stating that Pakistan acknowledged Tehran’s attempts to safeguard its national interests through dialogue.
He further said that both countries were witnessing increasing closeness between their peoples and reiterated Pakistan’s goodwill toward Iran’s leadership and citizens amid ongoing regional tensions.
The conflict in the Middle East began after the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran on February 28. In response, Tehran targeted Israel and US military bases across the region, while also effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan hosted both sides for peace talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but the negotiations ended without a permanent agreement, as Tehran and Washington remained divided over Iran’s nuclear programme, missile capabilities, and control over the Strait of Hormuz.