Pakistan Army Chief and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Monday to hold talks with Iranian officials on bilateral and regional issues.
The army chief, accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, is undertaking the trip “as part of Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability,” according to a statement by the Pakistan Army.
“The Field Marshal will focus on promoting efforts towards peaceful, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East,” it said.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that the trip aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation and continue Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and security in the region.
Pakistan has been leading the push for peace and reviving its mediation efforts in the stalled US-Iran peace negotiations. It succeeded in April in arranging a ceasefire, which resulted in an agreement to end the US-Iran conflict. However, the peace process faltered later on and has not been put back on track.
The conflict began when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian retaliation and choking the vital strait of Hormuz and entailing a petroleum price hike. — PTI