Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Friday, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. This is his second trip to Iran as part of mediation efforts to end the war between Israel and the US with Iran, which began on February 28.
According to IRNA, Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni received General Munir, with Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also present. Anonymous Pakistani sources said the visit would focus on Iran-US negotiations, regional peace and stability, and other important issues.
Earlier, Islamabad helped secure a temporary ceasefire between the parties on April 8 and hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11-12.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Pakistan remains the main mediator. He acknowledged that the gap between Tehran and Washington is 'deep and significant,' emphasizing that the current focus of negotiations is ending the war, not details about the nuclear program.
At the White House, US President Donald Trump stated that 'Iran is eager to reach a deal,' but also said the US 'has struck hard' because Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. Trump said he canceled a plan to strike Iran this week at the request of Middle Eastern allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a NATO meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, confirmed 'small progress' in talks with Iran, though he did not want to exaggerate the degree of success. He said there is 'a little bit of movement' and that dialogues are still ongoing.
On the EU side, member states are taking technical steps to expand sanctions against Iran, allowing targeting of individuals responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The European Council stated the move is in response to Iran's actions that 'violate international law,' which have closed the vital oil shipping route since March.
The new sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes, as well as prohibiting EU citizens and companies from providing resources to listed individuals. The Iran war and the blockade of Hormuz have sent global energy prices soaring.
