Iran's Pezeshkian thanks Pakistan for ceasefire mediation efforts

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who recently signed a ceasefire memorandum of understanding with the United States, met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed gratitude for Pakistan's mediation efforts.

According to Bloomberg and China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Pezeshkian arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon local time.

He was welcomed by Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and other Pakistani leaders at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and several other officials accompanied Pezeshkian on the visit.

The trip marks Pezeshkian's second visit to Pakistan since taking office and was aimed at discussing developments following the signing of the ceasefire MOU with the United States.

At a joint press conference with Sharif, Pezeshkian said "the Iranian government and people are grateful for the efforts and support shown by the Pakistani government and people" in mediating the ceasefire. He said Pakistan had played "a responsible and active role in facilitating dialogue and reducing tensions at a critical time when the region faces numerous threats."

He went on to say that Islamic nations joining forces could build a new regional security framework, adding that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey could all play a role.

Sharif said he was "very pleased that the Islamabad MOU — signed personally by US President Donald Trump and brokered with Pakistan as mediator — has ended a war that could have engulfed the entire region." He added that "Pakistan extends its deepest gratitude to the Iranian leadership for the unwavering trust that allowed us to initiate and mediate this peace process."

However, Sharif said the ceasefire MOU contains no provisions related to Iran's ballistic missiles and that the issue was never raised in the negotiations.

Earlier, Gulf states that had come under Iranian attack during the Middle East war expressed frustration after the MOU was signed, saying Donald Trump had in effect acquiesced to Iran retaining its ballistic missile arsenal.

On this, Sharif pushed back, asking "why oppose only Iran's ballistic missiles" when many other countries around the world possess such weapons. He said the issue "was never brought to the negotiating table" and argued there should be no double standard on ballistic missile possession.

Sharif also announced at the press conference that he would visit Iran next week to reaffirm solidarity between the two countries.

Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office issued a separate statement saying Pezeshkian and Sharif "reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and promoting regional peace" during their talks, and that the two sides discussed a broad range of issues including security, regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

Pakistan stepped forward as a mediator beginning in March, after the Middle East war broke out in late February following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

Sharif and Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir facilitated the first ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran, held in Islamabad on April 11-12, though the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

A second round of talks expected around April 21 was skipped by both the US and Iran. The two countries continued indirect back-channel negotiations through Pakistan before signing the ceasefire MOU on June 17.