Pakistan says significant progress made after army chief holds talks in Tehran

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ISLAMABAD — Pakistan said on Tuesday there had been significant progress during high-level talks in Tehran aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran.

The talks took place on Monday during a daylong diplomatic mission to Tehran by Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and I had a very positive and productive meeting with the President of Iran,” Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who accompanied Munir, said in a post on US social media company X.

“Significant progress was made, and the meeting concluded on a highly positive note. We remain hopeful that this momentum will help pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region,” he added, without providing details on the progress.

The Pakistani military released a statement on Tuesday, describing the trip as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to end the stalemate in the ongoing US-Iran conflict and explore ways for achieving enduring peace in the region.

While in Tehran, Munir held meetings with several Iranian leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, the military said.

“Our discussion focused on the Iran US conflict, tensions in the Middle East and the way forward, as well as the steps needed by both sides for restoration of the Islamabad MoU thereby leading to comprehensive settlement of the conflict,” Naqvi said.

The Iranian president, he added, “candidly” shared his government’s perspective and concerns, and “we had a very constructive exchange on the issues involved.”

Munir returned to Pakistan after the day-long visit to Tehran, where he also met Iran's Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, according to the statement from Pakistan’s military.

Comprehensive discussions focused on measures to prevent further escalation, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and expedited termination of the conflict. The two sides also exchanged views on regional peace and the ways to arrive at a negotiated settlement to the disputes, the statement said.

The Iranian leadership appreciated Pakistan’s “constructive” role and sincere efforts toward facilitating dialogue, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Following the meetings, Naqvi stated on social media platform X that both sides reviewed the steps needed to restore the “Islamabad MoU“, an interim framework aimed at ending the war that was mediated by Pakistan.

The diplomatic push comes at a crucial time as the Trump administration as warned of severe economic penalties for any country supporting Iran, while Tehran has threatened to shut down Gulf oil exports completely in response.

Iran said on Tuesday the Pakistan army chief’s visit to Tehran was “highly productive” and yielded “significant diplomatic achievements.

“Contrary to some inaccurate media speculation, the visit of Field Marshal Asim Munir, the army chief of friendly Pakistan, to Iran was highly productive and yielded significant diplomatic achievements, the results of which will become apparent soon,” Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications and information at the Iranian President’s Office, said on X.

Iranian media outlet Tasnim said Pezeshkian told Munir that the US must change its approach toward Tehran.

“The United States must correct its tone and approach in dealing with Iran instead of dictating terms and resorting to coercion,” he was quoted as saying. He warned that US “intimidation” would complicate the process of implementing the MoU, Tasnim reported.

The MoU was signed by Washington and Tehran on June 17, but it soon faltered after renewed ship seizures and strikes in the Gulf, and then expired last week.

Abbas Golrou, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, said Munir carried a message from the US urging Tehran to return to the Islamabad memorandum and revive the stalled political process.

Golrou told the semi-official ISNA news agency that Washington had asked Pakistan to engage with the Iranian side and encourage Tehran to return to the political track.

“Asim Munir conveyed a message to Iran on behalf of the US that Iran should return to the memorandum,” Golrou said.

He said Washington was sending direct and indirect messages for negotiations while simultaneously issuing threats and imposing new sanctions.

Golrou added that the main purpose of Munir’s visit appeared to be to “revive the stalled political process,” adding that it remained to be seen what the main message of the visit was.