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Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is due to visit Tehran on Tuesday (today), Reuters reported, citing a Pakistani official and Iranian media. Pakistan has played a key mediating role between the US and Iran this year. The scheduled visit follows earlier talks between CDF Munir and Iranian leaders in the summer that focused on measures to prevent further escalation, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an expedited termination of the conflict. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the US aimed at ending the war which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The visit comes amid mounting regional tensions, as Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces continue to fight Houthi rebels, who are targeting Saudi Arabia. A day earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said achieving peace between the United States and Iran requires patience, trust and sustained efforts, stressing that lasting peace cannot be secured in a single meeting. Addressing the Global Security Forum in Doha on Monday, Naqvi said Pakistan had made every possible effort to bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table. He added that there were moments when tensions escalated sharply, but Islamabad did not give up its efforts. Efforts to revive US-Iran dialogue remain stalled, with both sides at odds over the terms for resuming negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days remained on the table, but progress depended on Washington’s response to Iran’s conditions. Iran’s demands include lifting the US blockade on its ports, easing sanctions on its oil exports and ending hostilities across regional fronts, while Washington wants Iran’s nuclear programme addressed as a priority. Against this backdrop, Naqvi praised Qatar’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran, saying Islamabad and Doha had worked together to prevent further escalation in the region.
