Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Arrives in Tehran to Facilitate Stalled US-Iran Peace Talks — Day 79

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on May 17, 2026 (Day 79), to facilitate the stalled US-Iran peace negotiations. The visit follows Pakistani military chief General Syed Asim Munir's earlier Tehran mission and represents Islamabad's continued effort to position itself as the primary back-channel between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan has served as the principal mediator since the direct Islamabad talks rounds collapsed — the second round was canceled on April 22 after Iran refused to send a delegation following the MV Touska seizure — and PM Sharif has engaged through both civil and military channels throughout the conflict. Naqvi's ministerial-level visit suggests Pakistan is attempting to open a civilian diplomatic lane that may carry different messaging than the military channels that have characterized previous mediation attempts. The backdrop is challenging: the nuclear negotiation deadlock (US demands 20-year enrichment freeze and HEU transfer; Iran has offered 5+5-year freeze and IAEA custody); Iran's formal Hormuz toll plan unveiled the same day; Trump's simultaneous warning that Iran faces a 'very bad time' without a deal; and the Barakah nuclear plant drone strike. Pakistan's mediation window is narrow — it must demonstrate value to both sides without being seen as favoring one while the gap between stated positions remains wide.