Why Iran President Pezeshkian is heading to Pakistan after US talks | US - Israel war on Iran News

What Happened

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a state visit—his first overseas trip since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February. The visit follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 18 June by US President Donald Trump and Pezeshkian, mediated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the conclusion of the first round of high-level US–Iran talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, which yielded a 60-day roadmap towards a final deal. Pezeshkian’s agenda includes meetings with Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and other senior Pakistani officials to discuss the Switzerland talks, bilateral trade (targeting $10bn annually), energy, border security and regional connectivity. The trip is framed as a gesture of gratitude for Pakistan’s mediation and an effort to convert the fragile diplomatic agreement into political capital amid domestic factional fault lines reminiscent of the 2015 JCPOA.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The visit signals Pakistan’s deepening role as a political mediator between the US and Iran, moving beyond message facilitation to active investment in the outcome. It comes after escalatory US–Israeli strikes on Iran in February and a 12-day Iran–Israel war in June 2025, highlighting the fragility of regional security. The MoU and Bürgenstock roadmap represent the most significant de‑escalation pathway since the JCPOA collapse, with mechanisms for nuclear, sanctions, Strait of Hormuz, and Lebanon de‑confliction. Pezeshkian’s ability to manage domestic opposition—particularly from factions loyal to Supreme Leader Khamenei—will be critical to the deal’s survival.

Watch For

Technical negotiations continue in Bürgenstock this week. Watch Pezeshkian’s joint statements in Islamabad for clues on implementation of the 60-day roadmap. Monitor reactions from Iran’s hardliners, Israeli officials, and Gulf states. Key milestones: establishment of the high-level political committee and working groups on nuclear issues and sanctions, activation of the Strait of Hormuz communication line, and any flare‑ups in Lebanon or the region that could test the de‑confliction mechanism.