ISLAMABAD: Iran has called on the United States to take the first steps towards de-escalation by fulfilling its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as Pakistan stepped up diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations aimed at ending the US-Iran conflict.
The message was conveyed during Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s meetings in Tehran with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Gen Mohsen Rezaei.
During the meetings, Field Marshal Munir explored the possibility of reviving the understanding reached under the Islamabad MoU and discussed avenues for reducing tensions and restoring dialogue.
Ghalibaf told Field Marshal Munir that Iran remained committed to implementing the terms of the memorandum, but expected the United States to honour its commitments first.
Gen Rezaei echoed the position, saying Tehran distrusted Washington and that the United States would need to change its behaviour to rebuild confidence.
Field Marshal Munir conveyed Pakistan’s continued commitment to efforts aimed at restoring regional stability.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accompanied the army chief during his one-day visit. The delegation also held meetings with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The discussions focused on measures to prevent further escalation, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to expedite an end to the conflict. The two sides also exchanged views on regional peace and options for reaching a negotiated settlement.
Iranian leaders appreciated Pakistan’s role and its efforts to facilitate dialogue, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict, according to ISPR.
The visit comes after hostilities resumed between the United States and Iran following the expiry of the 60-day armistice brokered under the Islamabad MoU.
Pakistan continues to view the agreement as a potential framework for returning to negotiations, while Tehran has maintained that Washington must first address what Iran considers violations of the understanding.
Field Marshal Munir’s visit also carries significance because he spoke by telephone with US President Donald Trump last week before travelling to Tehran. Although details of the conversation have not been made public, the direct contact provided Islamabad with an opportunity to convey the US position to Tehran and assess Iran’s willingness to return to negotiations.
The visit came shortly before Washington announced a renewed economic pressure campaign against Iran, including sanctions and restrictions targeting Iranian oil exports.
Iran has warned that increased US economic pressure would further intensify the confrontation rather than create an environment conducive to negotiations.
Ghalibaf criticised Washington’s approach, saying it was undermining regional stability and further eroding trust in the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue in the dispute. Tehran has insisted that Washington first fulfil its commitments concerning the waterway before Iran considers broader reopening arrangements and a return to the next stage of negotiations.
Field Marshal Munir’s meeting with Gen Rezaei was particularly significant given the Iranian general’s recent appointment as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, placing him at the centre of Tehran’s national security decision-making.
During the meeting, Rezaei emphasised Iran’s security interests in the Strait of Hormuz and stressed that any eventual settlement would need to address the military and economic pressures facing Tehran.
Separately, the status of navigation through the Strait is being discussed through an Iran-Oman diplomatic track. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi is due to visit Tehran, adding another layer to diplomatic efforts surrounding the strategically important waterway.
Pakistan’s renewed engagement with both Tehran and Washington signals Islamabad’s attempt to regain a central diplomatic role in efforts to de-escalate the conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and facilitate a negotiated settlement between the two sides.
Story by Baqir Sajjad Syed
