Islamabad, Oct 20 (PTI) Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir met top Iranian leadership in Tehran on Tuesday as part of Islamabad’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, amid indications that the US might be preparing for another round of fighting with the Islamic Republic.
President Masoud Pezeshkian met Field Marshal Munir, who was accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in Tehran, according to Iran’s state-run Press TV.
Munir also met Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief negotiator during the April talks with the US mediated by Pakistan.
Ghalibaf told Munir that US violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and repeated threats have further eroded Iran’s trust, stressing that Washington must meet Iran’s seven conditions and that threats will not change Tehran’s strategic decisions, the channel reported.
He added that the US cannot gain Iran’s trust unless it implements the seven conditions Tehran presented in New York.
The US and Iran signed the Islamabad MoU in June to restore peace in West Asia, advance negotiations on regional security and other contentious issues. The deal ended the conflict that began on February 28 and continued till April 8, when the ceasefire was agreed, followed by talks mediated by Pakistan.
Munir also met Iran’s security chief Major General Mohsen Rezaei.
Rezaei told Pakistan’s top general that all enriched nuclear materials will remain in Iran as a national asset, stressing that no negotiations with the US will take place until Washington builds trust by meeting Iran’s conditions, according to the channel.
Munir is also expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
This is his fifth visit to Iran since the US and Israel attacked the Islamic Republic in February. His visit comes a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s trip to Tehran, where he met Iranian leaders and discussed everything from Europe to West Asia, including Lebanon, Palestine, Ukraine and Yemen.
Also, Munir’s visit comes on a day when US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced trip to West Asia.
Ahead of Munir’s visit, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters that the Pakistani general’s primary objective was “to strengthen bilateral relations and mutual cooperation”.
State-run IRNA news agency earlier reported that talks between Munir and Iranian leaders will focus primarily on bilateral relations, regional developments, diplomatic processes, easing regional tensions, and various international issues.
There has been no reaction from Pakistan on the visit so far.
Munir’s previous visit was in September, when he held meetings with President Pezeshkian, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Rezaei, Speaker Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
Munir, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, has been playing a central role in mediation efforts between Iran and the United States. PTI ZH/SH SKS ZH
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