Tehran (GNP): Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS & CDF concluded a short but highly productive official visit to Iran.
During the visit, the Field Marshal and the Chief of Defence Forces held high-level engagements with the Iranian leadership as part of ongoing mediation efforts to promote de-escalation and constructive dialogue amid regional tensions that have persisted since the ceasefire on 8 April 2026.
The Field Marshal called on Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran and Eskandar Momeni, Interior Minister of Iran. The discussions remained focused upon expediting the consultative process underway to support peace and stability in the region and to reach to a conclusive agreement.
The engagements were held in a positive and constructive environment and contributed meaningfully towards the mediation process. The intensive negotiations over the last twenty four hours have resulted in encouraging progress towards a final understanding.
The Iranian leadership appreciated Pakistan’s sincere and constructive role in facilitating dialogue and promoting peaceful settlement of regional issues.
Upon arrival, the Field Marshal was received by Eskandar Momeni, Interior Minister of Iran, along with senior civil and military officials.
According to the Iranian official source that a ceasefire on “all fronts is the essential prerequisite for any future negotiations”, adding that although no final agreement has been reached yet, efforts are “unde rway” to bridge the gap between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian source said the “positive atmosphere” surrounding diplomatic efforts is “important, but insufficient” for a genuine agreement, while “ending the war, lifting the US blockade, and ensuring the stability of the Strait of Hormuz are priorities”.
The release of frozen assets and lifting sanctions on oil exports are not details currently being considered in the agreement, the source said.
Qatar’s supportive role for Pakistan’s mediation is “vital, important, and fundamental”, the source added.
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Speaking at the White House on Friday, US President Donald Trump said, “Iran is dying to make a deal.”
“We’ll see what happens. But we hit them hard, and we had no choice because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. They cannot have it,” Trump added.
Trump just a few days earlier said he was holding off on a military strike against Iran because “serious negotiations” were under way. He has been threatening for weeks that the April ceasefire could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that “slight progress” was made during talks with Iran. He spoke before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the military alliance discussed what role it could play in helping police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over.
Rubio said he did not want to exaggerate the progress in talks, saying there had been “a little bit of movement, and that’s good”. He said the conversations were ongoing. In recent weeks, there have been repeated claims of progress, but a deal has stayed out of reach.
