ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday announced heightened security measures and traffic diversions across the capital as Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni began a high-level visit expected to focus on expanding bilateral trade and discussing the evolving regional security situation.
The visit comes at a sensitive time for the region, with renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran threatening Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to preserve a ceasefire agreed earlier this year. It also highlights growing engagement between Islamabad and Tehran, which have pledged to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion from about $3 billion by improving cross-border infrastructure and connectivity.
“Traffic diversions will be placed at different times on the Expressway, Srinagar Highway, Jinnah Avenue, Murree Road and Club Road due to the movement of the visiting foreign delegations,” Islamabad Traffic Police said in a public advisory without mentioning the visiting group of Iranian officials.
The police said diversions would be enforced at various points across the city and advised commuters to allow an additional 20 to 25 minutes for travel, warning of heavier-than-usual traffic during the movement of the delegations.
Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes the governor-general of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran’s deputy interior minister, deputy minister of urban development and transport, and the head of the National Iranian Oil Company.
Following his arrival in Pakistan, Momeni said both countries remained committed to increasing bilateral trade to $10 billion, adding that achieving the target would require significantly expanding transport infrastructure and cross-border cargo movement.
“Naturally, regional developments are also among the subjects that will come up on this trip,” Momeni told reporters after the meeting.
The Iranian minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir during his visit.
Pakistan has sought to position itself as a mediator between Tehran and Washington after helping broker the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed last month to guide the US and Iran toward a final agreement within 60 days, though renewed fighting this month has put that diplomatic process under strain.
Islamabad has nevertheless maintained that dialogue remains the only viable path to preventing a wider regional conflict.
