Moscow: Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, met Iranian diplomat Mohammad Reza Bahrami on Sunday to discuss developments in the region, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
The meeting took place ahead of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, hosted by Russia on October 5. Bahrami serves as the director general for South Asia at Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Sadiq and Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul would represent the country at the consultations. Radio Pakistan, citing the ministry, identified the gathering as the eighth meeting of the forum.
The Moscow Format is a diplomatic forum where regional countries discuss Afghanistan and its implications for neighbouring states. The announced participants include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China, India and several Central Asian countries. It provides a platform for consultation rather than a binding defence agreement.
The discussions come amid tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over militant activity. Pakistan’s military recently alleged that a Taliban provincial governor hosted militant leaders planning attacks inside Pakistan. The governor denied the allegation. These competing accounts underline the security disputes surrounding the regional talks.
Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said differences between Islamabad and Kabul would be discussed at the meeting and that Moscow was ready to help the two sides find a way forward.
Both Pakistan and Iran share borders with Afghanistan, making developments there relevant to their security, border management and regional trade. The brief account of the bilateral meeting did not identify specific agreements or announce any joint measures.
