Pakistan army cautiously optimistic on US-Iran mediation

Pakistan’s army has expressed cautious optimism about ongoing mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, according to Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military’s spokesman. His comments to Reuters came after a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week.

Chaudhry noted that the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has visited Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday, alongside Saudi and Turkish officials. He suggested the trips indicated some level of positivity in the mediation process.

Chaudhry emphasized that the army remains 'cautiously optimistic' about the mediation efforts, though he warned that there are still parties seeking to obstruct the talks. He did not name those opposing the mediation.

The military declined to comment on the specifics of the discussions in Tehran or whether the US had supported the visit. Meanwhile, Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran as part of another effort to revive the June ceasefire agreement that had previously collapsed.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joined Munir in Tehran on Monday. The three countries signed a joint defence pact on August 7, stating that an attack on any signatory would be treated as an attack on all.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement has gained significance amid fears of a broader Middle East conflict. While the signatories claim the pact is for collective deterrence and regional security, analysts suggest its development is tied to efforts to manage the fallout from the Iran-US confrontation.

Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, stated that regional security should be ensured by regional countries without foreign intervention. Chaudhry said the pact does not bar new members, adding that anyone with a shared vision of regional peace is welcome.