Pakistan is preparing for another high-level diplomatic engagement with Iran as fighting in Yemen intensifies and tensions rise over attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, according to Pakistani officials and diplomatic sources.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is expected to lead a delegation to Tehran, although the proposed visit had not been officially confirmed by Islamabad or Tehran as of September 19. The reported trip is being planned amid growing concerns over the escalating conflict in Yemen and its potential impact on regional security and international shipping.
The diplomatic initiative comes days after Pakistan conveyed concerns to Iran over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported that Islamabad has urged Tehran to use its influence to help restrain the attacks as Saudi Arabia faces an intensifying campaign of missile and drone strikes.
The situation has become increasingly sensitive following renewed fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Houthi forces have made significant advances in the area, raising fresh concerns about the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's strategically important maritime passages.
The escalation is also creating a growing humanitarian crisis. The UN’s migration agency has reported that more than 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen, while thousands have fled across the sea to Djibouti.
For Pakistan, the diplomatic challenge is particularly complex. Islamabad maintains relations with both Iran and Saudi Arabia and has sought to position itself as a diplomatic channel during periods of heightened regional tension. Naqvi has previously travelled to Tehran for talks as Pakistan attempted to support wider diplomatic efforts surrounding the Iran conflict.
Any new visit to Tehran would therefore come at a critical moment, with Pakistan seeking to encourage de-escalation while protecting its strategic relationships and broader regional security interests.
ANN NEWS | INTERNATIONAL
