Pakistan steps up mediation as CDF Munir, Interior Minister Naqvi arrive in Tehran
- Pakistani delegation received by Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi
Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday “as part of the ongoing mediation efforts”, the military’s media wing said.
The two officials, along with a delegation, were received by Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
Islamabad has positioned itself as a key diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran, hosting high-level negotiations in Islamabad. By brokering a ceasefire, offering its capital as neutral ground, and maintaining backchannel contacts with both sides as well as regional stakeholders, Pakistan has sought to reduce tensions and keep negotiations alive despite unresolved disputes over issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Iran said on Wednesday that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following failed negotiations over the weekend.
“Since Sunday, when the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran, several messages have been exchanged through Pakistan,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.
“Today, we are very likely to receive a Pakistani delegation as a continuation of the discussions in Islamabad,” he had said.
The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, departed Pakistan on Sunday without securing a deal with Iran after 21 hours of negotiations.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” Vance said then. “So we go back to the United States having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are.”
Negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week, five sources told Reuters on Tuesday. A source involved in the talks said a date was not yet decided, but both countries could return as early as the end of this week.
US President Donald Trump also said on Wednesday talks with Iran to end the war could soon resume and end in a deal, telling the world to watch out for an “amazing two days”, while US forces imposing a blockade turned back vessels leaving Iranian ports.
“I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead,” Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on April 21.
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