Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that Pakistan was ready to extend cooperation with Iran in all fields.

He made the remarks as he met with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is currently in Pakistan on an official visit.

A smartly turned-out contingent of the Federal Constabulary presented a guard of honour to Momeni upon his arrival at the interior ministry, according to a statement by the ministry.

It said that Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart held one-on-one talks, followed by delegation-level discussions. It said that the two ministers reviewed bilateral relations, trade, regional developments and avenues for cooperation.

According to the interior ministry, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, prevention of illegal immigration and efforts against human trafficking.

The two ministers also emphasised the need for joint efforts to curb drug smuggling and terrorism “originating from the Afghan border”, while agreeing to improve coordination between the relevant institutions of both countries.

“Pakistan is ready to increase cooperation with Iran in all fields,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.

He also praised the role of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Momeni, saying they had made “extraordinary efforts for peace”.

“I hope good news will come soon and peace will be established,” he added.

Railway cooperation

Later, Momeni also held a meeting with Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, where the two sides agreed to expand railway cooperation and strengthen cross-border connectivity, state media reported.

An official statement carried by state-run APP said that Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghaddam, also attended the meeting.

During the discussion, Momeni and Abbasi “reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen religious, historical and cultural ties between Pakistan and Iran”.

They also stressed the need for peace, stability, cooperation and enhanced diplomatic engagement in the region, the statement said, adding that the two sides held detailed discussions on railway cooperation, cross-border links and promotion of bilateral trade.

Abbasi said work to upgrade Main Line-3 (ML-3) was expected to begin in the current fiscal year, with the project likely to be completed by December 2029, the statement said. It further quoted Abbasi as saying that ML-3 was a “key corridor” for railway connectivity between Pakistan and Iran and its upgradation would significantly boost trade and regional linkages.

The minister appreciated the Iranian government and railways department for their efforts to rehabilitate the Zahedan-Taftan railway section.

He said that at the request of the Iranian railways department, the Taftan Railway Station had been declared a customs clearance station, which would further facilitate cross-border freight and shunting operations.

The meeting also discussed the revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train service and measures to enhance regional connectivity, the statement said.

It added that both sides also agreed to further expand railway cooperation under the 1959 bilateral railway agreement and the 2025 Framework of Cooperation.

The two leaders expressed resolve to further strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in the area of rail transport, trade, border connectivity and economic collaboration, the statement said.

A Momeni-led Iranian delegation also visited the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) headquarters in Islamabad.

During the visit, Momeni expressed Tehran’s interest in learning from Pakistan’s experience and knowledge-sharing, particularly in the areas of early warning systems, anticipatory disaster management, institutional coordination, and the application of advanced technologies for disaster risk reduction, an official statement said.

Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening institutional linkages and promoting cooperation to address emerging risks associated with climate change and complex disasters, the report said.

Momeni had arrived in Pakistan on an official visit on Monday night. On Tuesday, he met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where matters of mutual interest, regional and bilateral security, and effective border management were discussed, according to Inter-Services Public Relations.

He also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, where the premier expressed concern over the escalation in the Middle East and reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to play its role as an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator” to promote regional peace.

Momeni’s visit comes as mediator Pakistan continues its diplomatic efforts to rescue the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month between the US and Iran, intended to end the conflict between the two sides that began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February.