FM Dar, Iranian counterpart Araghchi reaffirm importance of continued engagement

Bishkek (Web Desk): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a number of bilateral meetings in Bishkek on Tuesday, beginning with discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two countries agreed on the importance of keeping diplomatic engagement active.

Dar is accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on a three-day official trip to the Kyrgyz capital, where Pakistan is participating in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit. Pakistan is also preparing to take over the chairmanship of the SCO Council for the 2026-27 term.

In his conversation with Araghchi, Dar reviewed the state of Pakistan-Iran relations as well as the evolving regional situation. He highlighted that “dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to promoting peace and stability in the region.”

DPM Dar also emphasised that “sincere implementation by both parties to the conflict of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of June 2026 remains the only way forward.”

The foreign office described the encounter between the two ministers as a “warm exchange”. It said they reiterated the importance of maintaining contact and discussed bilateral ties alongside recent developments in the region.

DPM Dar later met Ibrahim Kalın, head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State gathering in Bishkek.

In a statement posted on X, the FO said Dar “met with Director of Turkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

The statement added that the meeting focused on “regional developments and matters of mutual interest, including the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and the inaugural meeting of its Strategic Political and Defence Committee, as well as recent developments in the region.”

Dar “underscored the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement for regional peace, security and stability”, the FO added.

DPM minister also shared a warm interaction with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin during the SCO proceedings in Bishkek.

The FO said on X that Dar, Lavrov and Muhriddin had “a warm interaction” on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.

Later, Dar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as part of his diplomatic engagements at the summit.
The Foreign Office said Dar “met with Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

The two leaders “held a warm and cordial exchange, reaffirming the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China”.

Their talks also included “matters of mutual interest, including UNGA 2026 in New York and the ongoing process for the election of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations”.

Dar also held a meeting with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on Tuesday on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.

According to FO, Dar “met with the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek today.”

The two countries “reaffirmed the close and growing Pakistan–Uzbekistan partnership” and discussed “ways to further strengthen cooperation in all areas of mutual interest,” the FO said.

The deputy prime minister also met Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov during the SCO gathering.

The FO said that Dar “met Foreign Minister of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek”.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed their bilateral ties and regional developments and “exchanged views on matters of mutual interest,” the FO said.