Pakistani Army Chief Arrives in Tehran in Bid to End War

(Patria) - Pakistani Army Chief Syed Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday, with Islamabad mediating as the Islamic Republic considers a new US proposal to end the Middle East war.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the visit did not necessarily mean that "we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation," AFP reported.

Disagreements between Iran and the United States were "deep and extensive," he added, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier expressed hope for progress in ending the war, which erupted on February 28 when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

A ceasefire on April 8 halted the conflict, but negotiation efforts, including historic face-to-face talks held in Islamabad, have so far failed to yield a lasting agreement.

Previous comments by President Donald Trump suggested that weeks of negotiations for a permanent end to the war were on the "verge" of either a deal or a resumption of attacks.

The Pakistani army said Munir "arrived in Tehran as part of ongoing mediation efforts.".

It was stated that he was welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and his Pakistani counterpart Mohsin Naqvi.

Naqvi visited Iran for the second time in a week on Wednesday and met with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Baqaei said a delegation from Qatar also held talks with the Iranian foreign minister on Friday.

"In recent days, many countries, both regional and non-regional, have been trying to help end the war... However, Pakistan remains the official mediator."

Pakistan, Iran's eastern neighbor, hosted the only direct talks between US and Iranian officials since the war began in April.

Munir was at the center of events during that round of negotiations, welcoming both delegations upon their arrival and showing a friendly demeanor with US Vice President J.D. Vance.

The talks ultimately failed, with Iran accusing the US of "excessive demands".

Since then, the parties have exchanged multiple proposals, with the threat of war resuming looming at all times.