Pakistani army chief to visit Tehran on Monday

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, will visit the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei announced on Sunday, Anadolu reports.

The visit by Munir and the accompanying delegation aims to bolster bilateral cooperation and build on “Pakistan’s efforts to help strengthen peace and security in the region,” Baqaei said in remarks carried by Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA.

Munir will hold discussions with senior Iranian officials during the trip, he added.

Pakistan has acted as a key mediator between Iran and the US throughout the war and has maintained close contact with both sides.

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 and launched negotiations toward a final agreement. However, the talks later stalled over disagreements on security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic routes for global energy supplies and trade.

Between July 8 and July 24, the US and Iran exchanged military strikes, with Washington launching attacks on targets inside Iran and Tehran responding by striking US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries, including Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.