TEHRAN _Iran has stepped forward as an active mediator to defuse rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Tehran’s foreign minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi told journalists on the sidelines of an international law conference that Tehran is working to organize a regional meeting aimed at de-escalation.
Araghchi said details on timing and location were not finalized, but diplomatic sources and state media reported that he has held telephone consultations with the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, and Qatar as part of early outreach to promote regional dialogue. This string of calls underlines Tehran’s effort to marshal a multilateral format for talks.
An Active role and a Wide Buy-in
Iran’s push for mediation comes amid heightened cross-border tensions and security concerns between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistani officials publicly welcomed Iran’s offer to mediate, with Islamabad’s foreign office describing mediation as “welcome” and indicating Pakistan would engage with neutral facilitators. State media in Tehran likewise reported Islamabad’s positive response to Iran’s initiative. The rapid, reciprocal public statements suggest regional actors are prepared to test a diplomacy track spearheaded by Tehran.
Why Tehran and Why Afghanistan?
Tehran’s growing engagement with Kabul makes Iran a plausible interlocutor: Iran and Afghanistan have expanded high-level contacts and economic ties in recent months, including ministerial visits and trade and border cooperation that have strengthened bilateral channels. Iran’s foreign minister previously made a high-level visit to Kabul, and Tehran has hosted multiple political and trade engagements with Afghan authorities. Tehran currently has operational diplomatic access to Kabul, even though formal recognition issues remain sensitive. That practical relationship underpins Iran’s capacity to offer mediation between Kabul and Islamabad.
What has happened so far?
According to multiple reports, Araghchi directly spoke with Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, urging Kabul’s cooperation in mediation and underscoring Iran’s readiness to facilitate dialogue. Iran’s outreach also included conversations with the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Russia, and Qatar, signaling Tehran’s intent to frame a regional, not purely bilateral, solution. Pakistan’s foreign office publicly acknowledged Iran’s potential role and said mediations are welcome, signaling Islamabad’s willingness to engage with Tehran’s initiative.
What Iran’s mediation could seek to achieve
Analysts say a successful Iran-led mediation would aim first at immediate confidence-building measures: cessation of cross-border hostilities or incidents, mechanisms for incident-investigation, and agreement on secure border management. A regional meeting could also explore longer-term steps, such as enhancing intelligence channels, joint border security coordination, and resumption of stalled trade links, all intended to convert short-term calm into durable arrangements. The emphasis on a regional meeting highlights Tehran’s preference for multilateral formats rather than ad-hoc bilateral arrangements.