Iranian FM held telephone conversation with Pakistan army chief
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to Iranian state media. The call took place during Araghchi’s visit to China. Read More: Araghchi accuses Netanyahu of misleading US The Iranian state news agency reported that the two officials discussed recent regional developments. They also exchanged views […]
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on Thursday that he would be visiting Pakistan "soon" to emphasize the country's crucial role as one of the two primary mediators in resolving the US-Iran conflict. Speaking at his final press conference before the 81st UN General Assembly high-level week, Guterres strongly backed a return to dialogue to bring a peaceful end to the war. The UN chief's visit, at the invitation of the Pakistani government, is scheduled to occur next month.
When asked about the possibility of peace talks between the US and Iran at the UN, Guterres stated that it would be "very useful" if such dialogue took place there, though it might occur elsewhere. He emphasized that establishing this dialogue was essential. Guterres reflected on how things were progressing positively, mentioning the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and then everything being "put in question again," with the situation "enlarged."
He noted that the issue was not just a US-Iran dispute; it also affected several Gulf countries, causing significant economic repercussions, which was unacceptable.
Guterres highlighted that the complex problems demanded a serious dialogue among the US and Iran, Iran and the Gulf countries, including Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, as key mediators. Pakistan, along with Turkiye, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, played a significant role in the mediation efforts. In late March, Pakistan hosted foreign ministers from these four nations to discuss proposals, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
This led to the Islamabad Talks in April, where US and Iranian delegations met in Islamabad for negotiations.
Pakistan's role was seen as facilitating direct engagement after a long absence of such talks. The process resulted in an Islamabad MoU and an interim ceasefire, intended to provide a 60-day window for negotiations towards a permanent agreement. The ceasefire, however, faced pressure with renewed US-Iran hostilities and the collapse of indirect talks in Qatar.
Despite this, Pakistan maintained diplomatic contacts, including with Saudi Arabia and Iran, while Pakistan and Qatar worked on a de-escalation formula. By July, negotiations were ongoing, but the military escalation had complicated the mediation process.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
