Iran and Pakistan meet as US tensions
Iran's president met Pakistan's interior minister in Tehran for high-level talks, with both nations and Qatar seeking diplomatic channels amid heightened
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held talks with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran on Monday. The meeting occurred as Pakistan and Qatar work to revive diplomacy, driven by fears that regional tensions could intensify.
Naqvi's visit was his sixth since the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran began in February 2026. It followed a day after Tehran claimed it had received intelligence that the US was planning new attacks on the country.
Diplomatic statements and regional mediation
Speaking to Naqvi, President Pezeshkian expressed hope for stronger ties between Tehran and Islamabad. He stated that US actions and pressures had contributed to greater convergence among Islamic countries, citing the frequent meetings between Iranian and Pakistani delegations as a clear example. Naqvi hailed the bilateral relationship, asserting that relations between Iran and Pakistan had never been at such a high level as they are today.
Separately, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. En route, he made a brief stop in Doha to discuss regional developments with Qatari officials.
A spokesman for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed al-Ansari, addressed a summit on the sidelines of the assembly on Tuesday. He reiterated that Qatar is working to facilitate an agreement between Tehran and Washington, in coordination with Pakistan. Al-Ansari said Doha is mediating to open a path for dialogue and striving to facilitate the possibility of reaching an agreement, even a short-term one.
US posture and Iranian conditions
US President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview on Sunday, said he was weighing several options for dealing with Iran. These options included "wiping Iran out, letting them rot economically or making a deal." Trump added that he would "probably" be open to meeting with his Iranian counterpart.
Pezeshkian is also expected to address the UNGA and plans to hold talks with several world leaders and officials while in New York. The US granted visas to Pezeshkian and Araghchi but imposed travel and purchasing restrictions on the remaining Iranian delegation.
Meanwhile, Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, told Al Jazeera that Tehran had presented the Trump administration with a new set of conditions to restart talks. This followed the failure of a 60-day memorandum of understanding reached on June 17, 2026, to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaei said Tehran was awaiting the US's response.
Strait of Hormuz incidents
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported attacks on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Iran has targeted vessels attempting to transit the strategic waterway without its authorisation or while using unapproved shipping lanes.
