The CDF Munir Iran visit was undertaken as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic mediation efforts, not as an envoy for former US President Donald Trump, the Foreign Office (FO) clarified on Tuesday. Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, traveled to Tehran on August 24 to help resolve the ongoing US-Iran standoff, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in a weekly briefing.
Andrabi dismissed reports suggesting the visit was made on behalf of Trump as “misleading and factually incorrect.” He emphasized that the CDF Munir Iran visit was “purely in the context and backdrop of Pakistan’s ongoing role as mediator” between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan has been a key go-between since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February triggered a conflict, with Islamabad brokering a two-week ceasefire in April that brought a temporary halt to six weeks of fighting.
During the visit, Field Marshal Munir met with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, senior officials including the supreme leader’s representative on the Supreme National Security Council, the Parliament Speaker, the Foreign Minister, and the Interior Minister. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that discussions covered reopening the Strait of Hormuz and securing an “expedited termination” of the US-Iran conflict.
The FO spokesperson elaborated that the CDF Munir Iran visit focused on regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate, and pursuing a negotiated settlement. “The visit underscored Islamabad’s sincere and constructive role in bridging differences between Washington and Tehran,” Andrabi said, noting that Iranian leaders appreciated Pakistan’s efforts.
Addressing other matters, Andrabi responded to a proposal from Afghanistan’s interim interior minister for a bilateral mechanism to resolve issues. Pakistan expressed readiness for state-level dialogue with Afghanistan, but on the condition that Kabul takes concrete, verifiable steps to prevent its territory from being used for terrorism against Pakistan. “For any dialogue to take place, the Afghan side must ensure that its soil is not used against Pakistan,” the spokesperson stressed, also calling for effective border management and verifiable counterterrorism measures. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to institutional engagement with Afghanistan, provided such measures are implemented.
Source: Geo News