ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a one-day visit as tensions between Pakistan and India continue to rise following a deadly attack on Indian tourists in the disputed region of Kashmir last month.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is holding talks with senior Pakistani officials, with regional stability expected to be a key focus. While Pakistan’s foreign office did not explicitly say the India-Pakistan standoff would be addressed, Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam told state media that the issue would be “among the matters pursued during Araqchi’s meetings.”
“Given Iran’s close relations with both Pakistan and India, ways of reducing tension in the subcontinent will be among the issues discussed,” the ambassador said.
Araqchi’s visit to Islamabad is part of a broader regional engagement, with a trip to New Delhi reportedly scheduled for later this week. It was not immediately clear whether the visits were arranged in response to the current crisis or had been planned beforehand.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have surged since the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 dead. India has blamed Pakistan-based militants and accused Islamabad of complicity — a charge Pakistan denies. Islamabad has, in turn, claimed it has “credible intelligence” that India may be preparing military action.
The foreign ministries in both countries have not offered further comment. India has historically rejected third-party mediation in its Kashmir dispute with Pakistan, insisting the issue remains a bilateral matter.
The Muslim-majority region of Kashmir, claimed by both countries, has been the flashpoint of several wars and repeated diplomatic crises since 1947. The current episode has reignited international concern over the possibility of conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
In recent days, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reached out to international counterparts, including a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Lavrov “expressed concern” over the deteriorating situation and urged both sides to exercise restraint and pursue diplomacy.
Pakistan has also asked its envoy to the United Nations to seek an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to brief members on what it described as India’s “aggressive actions” that threaten regional peace and security.
