ISPR spokesperson says Pakistan ‘cautiously optimistic’ on Iran-US mediation, warns against spoilers

Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, expressed cautious optimism about the country's mediation efforts between Iran and the United States on Friday. Chaudhry, who is the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations, stated that the field marshal, Field Marshal Asim Munir, had visited Tehran twice this month, including a recent trip on Monday.

Chaudhry noted that Munir's visits are a positive sign, given that the military chief's presence in Iran indicates a degree of optimism about the ongoing mediation efforts. However, Chaudhry also warned that there are powerful spoilers who believe that conflict serves their interests. He did not specify who these spoilers are, but they remain a concern for the Pakistani military.

The high-level delegation visiting Tehran consisted of Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. They signed a joint defence pact with Pakistan on August 7, which states that an attack on any signatory will be treated as an attack on all. This pact, known as the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, has gained increased significance as the Iran war has altered regional alliances and heightened fears of a broader Middle East conflict.

During the talks in Tehran, Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, emphasized the need for regional security to be ensured without foreign intervention. Chaudhry also confirmed that more Pakistani troops could potentially be deployed to Saudi Arabia under the agreement, but this decision would ultimately rest with the political leadership of both countries.

Pakistan remains committed to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, even if it is not directly involved in the Yemen conflict, which has intensified due to the Iran conflict. At home, Pakistan's federal government suspended the provincial government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on October 11.

The suspension came after the government accused the provincial administration of failing to tackle militancy. Khan's PTI rejected the allegations and maintains that it has been actively involved in counter-terrorism efforts. Chaudhry clarified that the army's counter-terrorism operations are based on intelligence-based operations, and the tempo of these operations will increase.