Pakistan’s army chief to visit Tehran today to ‘help boost regional peace’
Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir will travel to Tehran on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said, as Islamabad tries to mediate a resolution to end ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States.
Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement Sunday that Munir would lead a delegation to the Iranian capital “as part of efforts to strengthen Iran-Pakistan bilateral cooperation".
The visit was also part of “Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to help consolidate peace and security in the region", the statement said.
Pakistan brokered a Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the US on June 17 that required both sides to end all hostilities and prepare for further negotiations on more important issues. However, the US violated the deal by conducting deadly aerial assaults on Iran and imposing a naval blockade of the country.
In response to the violations, Iran closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz which is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
The United States has now imposed new sanctions on Iran after it failed to achieve its goals during its aggression against Iran.
A Pakistan source told Reuters that the talks in Tehran would also address recent developments in the conflict, including US President Donald Trump’s threat of tougher sanctions on Iran.
“He (Munir) will discuss peace under Islamabad’s MoU, Trump’s warning and the situation after the Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arab Agreement and Houthi (Yemen’s Ansarullah) issues with Iranian leaders,” the source said.
The visit will coincide with a Monday announcement on details related to the planned sanctions which US officials have said would be “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran.
Pakistan had previously played a pivotal role in securing the April 8 ceasefire that brought an end to the 40-day illegal US-Israeli aggression against Iran.
During a telephone conversation on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Munir discussed the latest regional developments, as well as effective ways to enhance peace, stability and security in the region.
Iran thanked Pakistan for its wartime support for the Islamic Republic and its role in mediating a war-termination deal between Tehran and Washington.
The Iranian foreign minister also held a separate phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, during which both sides discussed the latest developments in the West Asian region, including the situation in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea regions, and the latest diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region.