The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Pakistan’s army chief, Syed Asim Munir, is scheduled to visit Tehran on Tuesday as Islamabad continues efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States amid stalled negotiations to end the conflict, Reuters reported, citing a Pakistani official and Iranian media.
Munir, who also serves as chief of Pakistan’s defense
forces, previously held talks with Iranian leaders during the summer. Those
discussions focused on preventing further escalation, reopening the Strait of
Hormuz and bringing the conflict to an end, according to the report.
Pakistan has played a key mediating role in efforts to bring
Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table following U.S. and Israeli
strikes on Iran in February.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Monday that
achieving peace between the two countries requires patience, trust and
sustained diplomatic engagement, warning that lasting peace cannot be secured
through a single meeting.
Speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, Naqvi
said Islamabad had made every possible effort to facilitate negotiations, even
when tensions escalated sharply.
Pakistan and Qatar have worked together to prevent further
regional escalation, Naqvi said, praising Doha’s diplomatic efforts to mediate
between Washington and Tehran.
Efforts to restart U.S.-Iran negotiations remain stalled,
with the two sides disagreeing over the conditions for resuming talks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that
Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days remained on
the table, but progress depended on Washington’s response to Iran’s demands.
Iran has called for the lifting of a U.S. blockade on its
ports, easing restrictions on its oil exports and an end to hostilities across
regional fronts. Washington, meanwhile, has insisted that Iran’s nuclear
program be addressed as a priority.
The diplomatic efforts are unfolding amid broader regional
tensions, including continued fighting between Yemen’s internationally
recognized government forces and Houthi rebels, who have targeted Saudi Arabia.
Munir’s scheduled visit to Tehran comes as Pakistan seeks to
maintain diplomatic momentum and help narrow differences between the United
States and Iran over the terms of a possible agreement.
