ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Monday accompanied by Pakistan’s interior minister to engage in mediation efforts amid Washington’s plans to tighten economic sanctions on Tehran.
“Upon his arrival in the capital of Iran on Monday, Field Marshal Munir was welcomed by the Iranian Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni,” Iran state-media IRNA reported, adding that “Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, is accompanying Pakistan’s army chief on this visit.”
Earlier on Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei announced that the trip “aims to strengthen bilateral Iran-Pakistan cooperation and continue Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and security in the region.”
Munir, who has represented Pakistan as the main interlocutor in facilitating backchannel diplomacy and high-stakes negotiations between Iran and the US, spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump ahead of the visit, reported Reuters on Monday.
Pakistan has emerged as the primary intermediary in peace talks between Tehran and Washington since April after six weeks of war beginning February 28 and played a decisive role in brokering a memorandum of understanding in June, resulting in a framework to halt hostilities and a 60-day negotiation period whose deadline passed just last week.
The arrival of Pakistan's army chief in Tehran takes place ahead of Oman’s foreign minister Badr Albusaidi’s scheduled Tuesday visit to the capital for talks with Iranian officials, “in line with strengthening Iran-Oman bilateral cooperation” as “two coastal nations of the Strait of Hormuz,” according to Iran foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday.
Tehran and Washington have engaged in renewed confrontations in July which saw the reinstitution of the US-imposed maritime blockade in mid-July.
The diplomatic push comes as Washington steps up economic pressure on Tehran with new sanctions announcements on Monday.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday on X that the United States was entering what he termed “the endgame” in the form of “an economic D-Day,” dubbing it as the single “greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary.”
“Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone,” he said.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said the shift in US rhetoric toward threats of sanctions signals Washington’s desperation, dismissing them as a “repetitive scenario and the same old bullying inherent in US policies” after US President Trump earlier this week announced “Economic Warfare” against Iran and warned of consequences for countries providing Tehran with a "lifeline."
