Can Pakistan help break the US-Iran deadlock?
News Desk
Islamabad: Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic efforts to help ease escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, with Islamabad and Tehran discussing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and possible steps towards ending the conflict.
The discussions took place during Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran, where he held a series of meetings with senior Iranian leadership.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the talks focused on preventing further escalation, facilitating the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and creating a path towards ending the conflict through dialogue.
Field Marshal Munir arrived in Tehran on Sunday as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative aimed at breaking the deadlock between Washington and Tehran and encouraging the two sides to return to negotiations.
During his visit, the army chief met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative to the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei, Parliament Speaker Baqer Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
The ISPR said the meetings also covered regional stability and ways to resolve outstanding disputes through diplomatic engagement.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who accompanied Field Marshal Munir, said Pakistan had made “significant progress” in its efforts to facilitate an end to the US-Iran conflict.
In a statement posted on X, Naqvi described his meeting with President Pezeshkian as positive and productive. He said the discussions covered the conflict, the deteriorating regional situation, possible ways forward and Pakistan’s reconciliation efforts.
The two sides also discussed measures related to reviving a memorandum of understanding (MoU), Naqvi said. He added that the Iranian president presented Tehran’s position and reservations, while the talks remained constructive.
Naqvi said the meeting ended on a positive note and expressed hope that the diplomatic progress would contribute to further negotiations and lasting regional peace.
Pakistan’s latest initiative comes amid heightened tensions following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Islamabad has maintained diplomatic contacts with both Washington and Tehran and previously helped facilitate a two-week ceasefire between the two sides on April 8.
The diplomatic push also coincides with fresh US economic pressure on Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new sanctions against Iran on Monday, although Washington said some of the toughest measures would be delayed to allow countries and institutions time to comply with the new requirements.
The US Treasury Department said the latest package targeted 60 individuals, entities and vessels linked to Iran. Chinese financial institutions suspected of facilitating Iranian oil trade were not included in the sanctions list.
Tehran has indicated that it could respond to the new economic measures and has warned that further restrictions on its oil exports could have wider regional consequences.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran was prepared to withstand the sanctions and had its own mechanisms to counter US economic pressure. He also said China and Russia had rejected the US measures and expressed hope that other countries would follow suit.
Meanwhile, Press TV quoted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi as warning that any threat to Iran’s infrastructure could trigger attacks against US interests and major energy facilities in the region.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s engagement with Iran is emerging as a key diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation, keep communication channels open and encourage a political solution to the US-Iran conflict.
