What happened
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, on a day-long official visit during which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan would not let Tehran down and would keep mediating until a final peace deal with the United States is reached.
Pezeshkian received a red-carpet welcome with a guard of honour, a fly-past by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 jets and a 21-gun salute. Prime Minister Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi received him, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accompanied him. It was his first visit to any country since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026.
At a joint press conference after delegation-level talks, Sharif said the two countries were meeting at a “historic moment” and that the ceasefire reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding had ended a war that could have engulfed the region. He said Pakistan had mediated with “complete sincerity” and would continue until a lasting and honourable peace was achieved. He also clarified, in his capacity as mediator, that Iran’s ballistic missile programme was not part of the memorandum and had never been on the agenda.
Pezeshkian said Iran’s missiles were not in the memorandum signed with the United States and “will never be”, and that Iran would not negotiate its defence capabilities with any country. He called the relationship with Pakistan brotherly and thanked its government and people for their support, adding that the signing of the memorandum reflected Iran’s confidence in Pakistan’s mediation.
Sharif credited Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Dar for their roles in the process, and thanked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt for their support. Pezeshkian was seen off by Munir and Dar on Tuesday night before departing for Tehran.
Why it matters
The visit came a day after Pakistan and Qatar announced that the opening round of high-level US-Iran talks at Bürgenstock in Switzerland had produced a 60-day roadmap towards a final agreement. KhabarWire reported on the Bürgenstock round and the electronically signed Islamabad memorandum.
Iran’s decision to make Pakistan the destination of Pezeshkian’s first post-conflict foreign trip underscored Tehran’s reliance on Islamabad’s facilitation, and Pakistani officials presented the mediation as a diplomatic achievement.
Security was tight around the visit. Authorities restricted access to Islamabad’s Red Zone, suspended hearings at the Islamabad High Court and the Federal Constitutional Court and directed ministries in the zone to work from home, while several Margalla Hills trails and citizen services were closed and police advised of limited access.
What is still uncertain
Technical talks between Iran and the United States are to continue over 60 days, but implementation of the memorandum, including arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions relief, remains to be negotiated. Neither side set out a date for a final agreement, and Sharif warned of “spoilers” seeking to undermine the process.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 2026-06-23.
- The News — "Pakistan assures Iran of playing mediation role till final peace deal with US"23 June 2026 · The delegation-level talks, Sharif's mediation pledge, the ballistic-missile clarification and Pezeshkian's remarks.
- HUM News English — "Iranian President Pezeshkian arrives in Pakistan"23 June 2026 · The ceremonial arrival, the Red Zone security lockdown and the suspension of court hearings.
- Radio Pakistan — "US-Iran technical level talks to usher in new era of regional peace: PM"23 June 2026 · The joint press conference, Sharif's remarks and Pezeshkian's call for a regional security structure.
