RAWALPINDI: Pakistan remains cautiously optimistic about its mediation between Iran and the United States, military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday after regional officials held talks in Tehran.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the Iranian capital twice this month. His latest trip, on Monday, brought together senior Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish officials for discussions with Iran’s leadership.
Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), told Reuters that Munir’s repeated visits indicated positive signs in the diplomatic effort. “The word that we would use is always cautiously optimistic,” he said.
However, he warned that influential actors still saw an interest in prolonging the conflict. He did not identify them.
Chaudhry declined to disclose the substance of the Tehran discussions or confirm whether Washington had backed the visit.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin accompanied Munir on Monday. Their meetings formed part of efforts to restore negotiations after months of conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Following the talks, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, argued that regional countries should take responsibility for their security without foreign intervention.
Rezaei described the discussions positively and expressed hope that closer cooperation among the four countries could produce practical steps towards resolving regional problems.
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Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to continue dialogue on regional peace, security and cooperation.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry urged parties to the crisis to respond constructively to the Tehran initiative. It called for negotiations to prevent renewed military escalation and supported mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar.
Islamabad has sought a lasting settlement since brokering an April ceasefire that halted the initial phase of intense fighting. The conflict began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.
Pakistan has continued to promote the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as a basis for negotiations.
In its October 9 briefing, the Foreign Office linked direct communication between Washington and Tehran to Pakistan’s mediation. It said it supported the two countries resolving outstanding issues through direct engagement and offered further assistance if needed.
(With additional input from Asharq Al-Awsat)
