Pakistan and Iran reject reports of talks on Tehran’s missile programme

ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that Pakistan played an important mediatory role in recent diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Washington, while he and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both rejected reports that Iran’s ballistic missile programme had been discussed in those exchanges.

Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on his first foreign trip since the recent war. He was given a red-carpet reception at Nur Khan Airbase, where a 21-gun salute marked his arrival after Pakistan Air Force fighter jets escorted his aircraft into Pakistani airspace. He was accompanied by a senior delegation that included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and was received by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

At a joint press conference after delegation-level talks, the Iranian president thanked Pakistan’s leadership and public for their support during what he described as a difficult period, and praised Islamabad’s efforts to encourage dialogue and reduce tensions in the region.

He said Pakistan had acted with sincerity throughout the process and directly credited Prime Minister Shehbaz and his team for helping the situation reach its present stage.