Pakistan’s Munir spoke to Trump ahead of Tehran visit, say sources

Pakistan's military confirmed that Asim Munir, the country's army chief, had a conversation with US President Donald Trump prior to his scheduled visit to Tehran. This revelation emerged from three Pakistani sources who spoke about the matter. The call was made as tensions between the United States and Iran were escalating, with the US having threatened to impose significant economic sanctions on Iran and its trade partners.

The US Office of the Press Secretary was not immediately available to comment on the matter. It was unclear about the specifics of the discussion between Munir and Trump. Iran's officials confirmed the visit on Sunday, stating that the focus of Munir's visit was on security and peace. In response to the US threats, Iran had vowed to halt all oil exports from the Gulf.

Pakistan has been a pivotal player in mediating between the US and Iran this year and had continued to be a trading partner of Iran despite the recent conflicts. Munir was expected to meet with individuals close to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday. While the visit was primarily focused on US-Iran tensions, it was also anticipated that Munir would discuss the recent attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters on Saudi Arabia, as well as the recent mutual defense agreement between Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

The previous mediation efforts between the US and Iran led to an interim peace agreement in June, but this quickly unraveled due to the ongoing fighting between Iran and the US, which threatened to turn into a larger regional conflict. There is a lack of trust on both sides, according to a third Pakistani source. Munir's primary objective during his visit was to attempt to alleviate the absence of mutual trust between the US and Iran on Monday.