Washington seeks Islamabad’s help to restart Iran talks

US President Donald Trump spoke with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, last week ahead of Munir’s visit to Tehran, with one Pakistani source saying Washington’s main request was for Islamabad to use its influence to help bring Iran back to the negotiating table, Reuters reports.

Three Pakistani sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the conversation took place last week. Two sources said the call was initiated by Trump. The details of the discussion were not immediately clear.

The White House Office of the Press Secretary did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump last week warned that countries providing “any type of lifeline to Iran” could face economic consequences as Washington seeks to isolate Tehran. Iran, meanwhile, has threatened to halt all oil exports from the Gulf.

Munir arrived in Tehran on August 24 accompanied by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Pakistan’s military confirmed the visit, saying it was “part of Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability.”

Pakistan has played a key mediating role between the United States and Iran this year and has maintained trade ties with Tehran despite the recent fighting.

One Pakistani source said Munir was expected to meet with individuals close to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during his visit on August 24.

A Pakistani government source said US-Iran tensions would be a major focus of the trip. Munir was also expected to discuss recent attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters on Pakistan’s ally Saudi Arabia, as well as the recently signed mutual defense agreement between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier mediation efforts by Pakistan between Washington and Tehran resulted in an interim peace agreement signed in June. However, the Islamabad Memorandum quickly faltered amid renewed fighting between Iran and the United States, raising concerns that the conflict could escalate into a wider regional confrontation.

“There is a trust deficit on both sides,” a third Pakistani source said, referring to the United States and Iran. The source added that Munir’s objective was to help mitigate the lack of mutual trust during his Tehran visit.

By Vafa Guliyeva