Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni landed in Islamabad late Monday, carrying a high-level delegation for talks that could shape the next phase of a widening Middle East conflict. His arrival signals Pakistan’s deepening diplomatic involvement in a crisis that has spiraled from a collapsed truce into open warfare between Tehran and Washington. Main Developments Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi received Momeni at the airport. The visiting delegation is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, state-run TV reported. Momeni’s agenda is expected to include discussions with Pakistani officials who previously mediated a now-defunct interim ceasefire between the US and Iran. The visit coincides with the ninth consecutive night of American strikes across Iran, including a city that hosts a nuclear power plant. Read also: Chenab River Flood Risk Rises as Heavy Rains Lash Region Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced retaliatory attacks against targets in Bahrain, Jordan, and Syria. Bahrain accused Tehran of targeting its air navigation systems. Background The current crisis erupted after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a global fuel crisis as Tehran disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime corridor for oil and gas supplies. Pakistan stepped in as mediator, brokering the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a 14-point interim peace deal signed on June 18 aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the waterway. That truce collapsed after US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire “over” earlier this month. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded on Monday by stating the two nations were now fighting a “full-scale war.” Tehran blames Washington for breaching the MoU. Why It Matters Pakistan’s mediation role places it at the center of efforts to de-escalate a conflict that has sent oil prices to a one-month high and threatens global energy supplies. With the Strait of Hormuz blockaded again by Iran and US counter-blockades on Iranian ports, the stakes extend far beyond the region. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed that diplomatic exchanges with the US through mediators continue, despite the latest attacks. This suggests Pakistan’s channel remains active, even as fighting intensifies. What's Next Momeni’s meetings in Islamabad will test whether Pakistan can salvage any diplomatic progress from the wreckage of the MoU. The outcome could determine if a new ceasefire framework emerges or if the conflict widens further. Observers will watch for any signals from Tehran or Washington about reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key demand in the original agreement.