Pakistan’s General Asim Munir is currently in Tehran, participating in mediation efforts. This visit comes as the European Union moves towards imposing sanctions on Iran over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, is in Iran as part of ongoing mediation efforts aimed at ending the war involving Israel and the United States, which began on February 28.
Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported, citing the Pakistan Army. “Upon his arrival, he was warmly welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni,” IRNA stated, adding that “Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also present at the reception.”
This marks Munir’s second trip to Tehran amidst Pakistan’s efforts to mediate an end to the conflict. Islamabad previously helped secure a temporary ceasefire between the warring parties on April 8 and subsequently hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979, held on April 11-12.
During this visit to Iran, unnamed Pakistani sources informed the Anadolu news agency that Munir would discuss Iran-US talks, regional peace and stability, and other “important issues.”
Mediation efforts have been intensified by Islamabad to secure a second round of direct talks between the two sides. “The current process and the presence of senior Pakistani officials in Tehran signify that we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Friday.
Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying that the gaps between Tehran and Washington are “deep and significant.” He added, “We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement is imminent. The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war. Details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed at this stage.”
Speaking at the White House on Friday, US President Donald Trump stated, “Iran is eager to make a deal.” He further added, “We’ll see what happens. But we hit them hard, and we had no choice because Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. They cannot have it.”
Just days earlier, Trump had indicated he was holding off on a military strike against Iran due to “serious negotiations” being underway. For weeks, he has threatened that the April ceasefire could collapse if Iran fails to reach a deal, with the parameters for such an agreement constantly shifting.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that “slight progress” had been made during talks with Iran. He spoke ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the military alliance deliberated its potential role in policing the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict concludes.
Rubio cautioned against exaggerating the progress, noting there had been “a little bit of movement, and that’s good.” He confirmed that conversations were ongoing. Despite repeated claims of progress in recent weeks, a deal has remained elusive.
Trump has repeatedly set and then retracted deadlines for Tehran. He has also previously indicated a willingness to delay military action to allow talks to proceed, only to subsequently launch strikes. This pattern was observed at the war’s commencement, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after suggesting he would let negotiations unfold.
The US President stated that he called off attacks on Iran this week at the request of Middle Eastern allies, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s Baghaei stated on Friday that a Qatari delegation was currently holding talks with Iran’s foreign minister, but emphasized that Pakistan remained the primary mediator in the negotiations.
EU to sanction Iran over Hormuz
As diplomatic efforts persist, European Union nations have moved towards imposing sanctions on Iranian officials and others deemed responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the EU announced on Friday. Tehran effectively closed this crucial shipping lane for global oil and gas supplies in retaliation for the US-Israeli war.
Deeming the blockade “contrary to international law,” EU governments took a technical step to broaden the scope of their existing Iran sanctions regime, enabling more individuals to be targeted. “The EU will now be able to introduce further restrictive measures in response to Iran’s actions undermining the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” stated the European Council, representing EU nations.
Brussels’ punitive measures against Iran previously targeted the country’s military support for Russia in its war against Ukraine and for armed groups across the Middle East. The EU has also imposed sanctions for human rights violations within the country.
The EU did not immediately name any individuals or entities that would be targeted by the new sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes. EU citizens and companies will also be prohibited from making funds, financial assets, or other economic resources available to those listed.
The Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries a fifth of global oil production, have sent ripples through the global economy, causing energy prices to soar.
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